


Hyrule's Light

by LivyWrites



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, There's a BUNCH of random side characters I don't want to bother typing out, also i know that botw came out like 2 years ago, and i kinda just want to get this published haha, i still wanted to write this, it's for funzies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2019-12-26 15:42:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 80,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18285308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LivyWrites/pseuds/LivyWrites
Summary: When Link and Zelda both awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. In fact, they didn't know anything at all. Now, as they clumsily trudge through a strange yet familiar land, a dark, menacing force writhes in the ruins of a castle, gathering it's strength for one final strike that will grant it it's 100 year old revenge.





	1. Good Morning

**Author's Note:**

> Heyoo! Thanks for clicking this far! This fanfic is basically an AU where Link and Zelda are both put into the Shrine of Resurrection, and they both have to recover their memories together. I saw some art on Pinterest portraying this idea and absolutely fell in love! So I decided to write this lengthy fan fiction, and I've been enjoying it immensely. Here's hoping you will too!
> 
> Also, a lot of the dialogue in this fic is taken from cut scenes from the game and mutilated just a snitch (because Zelda's with Link) but just know that I am not trying to take credit from writing some of the dialogue in this fanfic. I wanted to keep this story as close to the game as possible, as if it were a two player game with Zelda, so that's that.

Restoration process complete. Waking occupants… 

 

A sliver of light pierced the man’s eyes as he slowly opened them, wincing as his vision was flooded with blue light. First thought to run through his head: Where am I? What’s going on? To answer that first question, he was in some sort of… bed? Tub? A strange liquid was draining around him, and as it’s cool touch was leaving his body, he felt more awake. Despite that feeling however, he couldn’t find the strength to move. It was almost as if he’d been sleeping for 100 years. 

Who am I? The thought struck him as odd. Shouldn’t he know is own name? He stared at the blue light as an unusual structure or… design came into focus. His eyes widened. Link… I’m Link. What a strange name. Link blinked a few times, before finally sitting up, propping himself up with his arms. He was surprised he didn’t creak like a rusting door. He certainly felt 100 years old. 

The air around him was strangely warm and stuffy. It smelled old. He looked around the weird room, stopping only when he saw another tub bed right next to his. Even more strange was that someone sitting in that bed, just like him, was staring right back at him. Except… it was a girl. She had long golden hair and dazzling green eyes that were filled with relatable confusion. Her face was soft and round, and yet she seemed stubborn and full of an attitude to fight. She was wearing a sleeveless dark blue dress that looks more like a long shirt tied with a string around her waist. 

Silence swirled around the two, making Link’s thoughts and questions run wild. It was making his head hurt. So, he took the initiative and spoke. “I’m Link.” He said, surprised by how his voice sounded. It was basically a whisper, barely audible. His throat felt dry and unused. Huh. Weird. 

The girl blinked a couple of times before replying. “I… I’m Zelda… I think.” She murmured, her voice sounding just as weak as his. 

Again silence fell over them, before a flash of blue light caught their attention. They both looked over, only to find a strange looking pedestal. Link glanced at Zelda before swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing. He slowly walked over to the structure, noticing how cold the ground was on his feet. He heard light footsteps behind him and soon Zelda was standing next to him. She was keeping her distance though. 

They both looked down at the structure, only for it to flash again and… change. A small flat device lifted up and spun around to reveal an orange and blue design that resembled an eye. The orange designs on it pulsed like a heartbeat as the device sat there, almost like it was waiting for someone to pick it up. So, naturally, Link took a step forward and picked it up. He turned the device over in his hands, staring at the blank side. The eye design suddenly appeared before him, making a strange little sound. 

Zelda inched closer, staring at the device with large eyes. “What is it?” She asked. 

As if to answer her question, the device made another little sound and words appeared on the screen. A female voice emanated from the device and began to read the words out loud. Link almost dropped the thing in surprise. 

“Link! Zelda! If you’re hearing this you’re finally awake. Sweet! Listen, this is the Sheikah Slate, okay? Impa and I know that the restoration process will probably mess with your minds a little… sorry… we had no choice... so that’s why I prepared this nifty little recording for you two! Aren’t I just the greatest? Anyways… you guys have been asleep for the past 100 years. I’ve set up a little… whatcha call it… guide? That should help you guys. Just follow the yellow dot okay? Your goal right now is to find Purah. That's me. The dot should lead you to me once you get out of the shrine. Oh, and if you see anymore pedestals like the one you’re hopefully standing by, just hold the slate up to it and everything should work as fast as a snap! Anyways, hope you two find me when you wake up! I’ll probably be all old and wrinkly haha. Unless I find a way to reverse that…” The voice faded away. Link stared at the so called Sheikah Slate, his mind running faster than he thought possible. Restoration process? What in Hylia’s name is that? And have I really been asleep for 100 years?!

Link glanced over at Zelda, who looked just as stunned as he did. Whir… click! Link looked back down at the pedestal only to see it had returned to normal. Then something else caught his attention. An opening had appeared in the wall. 

Curious, Link quickly jogged over to the opening and into a similar looking room, except it was longer. It was filled with rusty barrels, large boxes, and broken crates. A chest caught his attention. He walked over to it and squatted down, setting the Sheikah Slate on the ground. He opened the chest, smiling as he saw some clothes. Quickly, he reached in and grabbed the pile, frowning as he felt the scratchy fabric itch his hands and arms. He sat down and sorted out the clothes, instantly pulling on the pants and shirt. He put on the worn down shoes as well. The shirt was plain old tan, with plenty of tears on the ends of the sleeves. The pants were worse. They were a faded brown, and they were a couple of inches too short. The only helpful thing was a bunch of belts and leather straps that when around his waist, allowed him to hook the Sheikah Slate on with ease. Other than that, the whole outfit was… old. It smelled musty and dusty, and itched worse than he could ever have imagined. But still… they were clothes. He stood, looking up right as Zelda was bending down to open a similar chest. 

She looked over him. “Nice clothes.” She said with a smile that was just hinted with laughter. She turned back to her own chest and opened it, wrinkling her nose as dust wafted into the air. She reached in and pulled out a pile of what looked like just a bunch of tan fabric. Again, she looked at Link. “You’re going to watch me dress?” She asked, incredulous. 

Link felt his face grow warm. “Yes- uh I mean… No.” He said, bending down and picking up the Sheikah Slate. He quickly rushed behind one of the boxes and crouched. He heard the rustle of fabric as Zelda began to dress herself. He sighed and leaned against the box, looking down at the Sheikah Slate. He fiddled with the device, thinking back to what the voice had told them. “You guys have been asleep for the past 100 years.” He frowned. Why? There was no way in knowing. And then there was what she had said about their minds… “Impa and I know that the restoration process will probably mess with your minds a little…” First of all… who’s Impa? And second of all… what’s wrong with my mind? What’s wrong with Zelda’s mind? I guess it makes sense since I’m so confused. And I don’t know where I am or who Zelda’s supposed to be. 

“I’m done.” Zelda called out, and Link stood up from behind the box. Zelda was wearing a dress similar to the one from before, except now it had sleeves that just went past her elbow, and it had a thin leather belt around her waist. Other than that it was just as short as if it were a long shirt. Underneath she had on tight brown pants that were less faded than his, and to finish it off were soft looking brown boots that went up past her ankle. 

Link frowned. “Why are your clothes new?” 

“They are practically already dust.” Zelda retorted, looking down at her outfit. “Its horribly itchy and rough. It feels like I’m wearing a potato sack! And these boots barely have any padding in them. It’s almost like I’m just wearing socks.” 

“Uh huh.” Link replied, looking around the room. Apparently this Zelda girl used a lot more words than needed. 

As his eyes wandered he spotted another pedestal down at the end of the room that looked identical to the one from before. Without a word,Link walked down a short ramp before standing over the structure. Unlike the one from before, this one had the same designs on it, but it was glowing orange instead of blue. In the center was the same eye design that was on the back of the Sheikah Slate. What was the deal with that eye anyway? Zelda jogged up to look at the pedestal herself. 

“Remember what the voice said? You need to hold the Slate up to it.” Zelda explained. Link glanced down at the Slate in his hand and put the side with the eye on it on top of the pedestal. Nothing happened. Zelda sighed. “Here, give me that.” She said, taking the Slate out of Link’s hand before he could say anything. She flipped the device over and placed it again on the pedestal. This time it flashed blue, changing the designs to the same blue color. A little robotic voice sounded from it. 

“Authenticating… Sheikah Slate confirmed. Guide activated.” The screen flashed and changed, showing a large map with details so small and delicate, it was hard to see them all. Little names of different places were scattered across the map, and a yellow dot had appeared. It was by a place called “Hateno Village.” 

Link looked over at Zelda, who was smiling with triumph and excitement. Apparently all of this flashing and disembodied voices was very exciting for her. Giving Zelda a look, he reached over and plucked the Sheikah Slate out of her hands and clasped it back onto his hip. A click and a rumble made Link look over at the wall. But it wasn’t a wall anymore. It was a door, and it was sliding open. Link and Zelda walked towards the door in wonder, as a bright light flooded in through the opening. The door finished sliding with a satisfying thump. Link was squinting against the bright light, and soon his eyes adjusted enough so that he could see an opening in the distance. Just a hint of cool fresh air blew across his face, and he almost sprinted towards it then and there. But he didn't. This was all so alien, so strange to him; he had no idea how to react. 

Finally, he took a step forward, Zelda following close behind him. She seemed more hesitant to get out than him. They walked up the steps and through a shallow puddle until a rock face stopped them. Link didn’t hesitate this time though. He jumped up and grabbed onto the ledge, pulling himself up. The opening was closer now, making his heart thumped rapidly in anticipation.

He looked back down at Zelda, who was looking right back up at him. “Need help?” He asked.

Zelda nodded before reaching up her arms. Link knelt down and grabbed onto her forearms, pulling up with all of his might. It was harder than he thought it would be. After a full minute of struggling and grunting, Zelda was up and over the ledge. Link was lying on his back, breathing hard. “That was harder than it should’ve been.” He muttered. 

Zelda stood, subconsciously brushing the dirt off of her already dirty clothes. “Sorry. I can’t jump up rock walls like you can.” Lending him a hand, she helped Link stand again. 

Link snorted. “Well you’ll have to learn to. I’m not doing that again.” 

Zelda nodded. “Of course.” She simply replied. 

They both turned towards the opening once again, and with Link in the lead, jogged towards it. Link was feeling as skittish as a rabbit. The scent of the fresh air was closer and stronger, and now the crisp breeze ruffled his hair.

And then… they were out.

***

Link was almost in a flat out run when he got to the edge of the cliff, taking as deep of breaths as he could. It felt amazing. The sun was just barely over the horizon, casting the view in a milky light that seemed almost like a dream. Mountains, lakes, canyons, everything and anything was out there, and Link felt the sudden urge to explore it all. But that wasn’t all he was feeling. Beneath the excitement and exhilaration, there was a sense of… familiarity. He felt like he knew this place, as gigantic and vast as it was. 

Zelda jogged up behind him, her eyes wide and sparkling in the morning sun. Her hair reflected the beauty of the light around them perfectly. Even her old rags of clothes looked beautiful. “What’s that?” She asked, pointing out to the view. 

Following her finger, Link found what she was talking about. A silhouette of a castle stood out from among the dots of trees and vast fields. It looked majestic, and yet pitiful. Link could just make out strange leaning pillars circling around the castle, and as he looked at it more he could tell that it wasn’t perfect. It was in ruins. The strange feeling grew stronger. He knew that place. But what was it? Perhaps that new map on the Sheikah Slate had a name for it. 

“I don’t know.” Link mumbled, tearing his eyes from the stunning horizon. He looked over to the side and stared up at the ruins of a temple that must have once been beautiful. The ruins were huge and intriguing, but there was something else tugged at the corner of his eye. He looked down only to find an old man standing farther down the hill. He was looking at them, as if he had expected them to walk out of that dusty cave. “Zelda… look.” Link said, nudging the girl beside him. 

She looked over at the old man, her eyebrows raised quizzically. “Who do you suppose that is?” 

“I don't know.” Link whispered. He couldn’t see the man’s face because he was wearing a hood, but Link could tell that the man knew they were looking at him. A pause drifted between them until the man simply turned and started to walk towards a fire twinkling underneath a short outcropping. 

“Well let’s go down and meet him.” Zelda suggested, walking away from the ledge and towards the old man’s fire. 

Link looked over at the castle in the distance once more, before turning away and following Zelda down the hill. 

 

Stone steps were covered with grass and weeds, no longer much use. Link scanned the trees and rocks around them, puzzled by the continuous feeling that he knew where he was. He knew this place. The name was just a breath away.

The old man was sitting on a grassy log, holding a carved branch with a lantern hooked onto it. He had a brown hood over his head, casting his face in shadow as he gazed into the crackling fire before him. The only notable feature about him was his thick white beard. Other than that he looked like your run of the mill poor old man. 

Zelda walked up to him, smiling politely. “Excuse me, sir, but do you know what this place is?” She asked, clasping her hands behind her back. 

The old man looked up, his face being cast in little odd shadows from the fire and his hood. “You honestly don’t know?” He replied. His voice was deep and rough. 

Zelda shook her head in response. 

“This is the Great Plateau. According to legend, this was the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule.” The old man explained.

Link’s eyes slightly widened. Hyrule. So that’s what this place is called. 

The old man stood, pointing his lantern to the temple ruins. “That temple there… long ago, it was the site of many sacred ceremonies. Ever since the decline of the kingdom 100 years ago, it has sat abandoned, in a state of decay. Yet another forgotten entity. A mere ghost of its former self.” The man turned back to them, sitting back down onto his log. “I hope that that information was sufficient for you two.”

Zelda glanced at Link before nodding. “Yes, thank you...sir.” She said hesitantly, obviously too afraid to ask for a name. 

“Who are you?” Link asked, stepping forward so that the old man could see him clearly. The man chuckled deep in his throat.

“Me? I’ll spare you my life story. I’m just an old fool who has lived here, alone, for quite some time now. What brings you two to a place like this?” 

“Well… we're supposed to go find this lady named Purah.” Zelda explained. 

The old man seemed uninterested. His eyes drifted for just a moment, resting on the Sheikah Slate that hung on Link's hip. Link glanced down at the slate, placing his hand over it. The old man turned his attention back to Zelda. 

“You see sir, we… don't really know what we're supposed to do. We don't really know where, or who we are.” Zelda said. 

Link shot Zelda a look. He didn't trust this guy, especially with how he looked at the Sheikah Slate. The glint in his eye told Link that this man knew more than he was telling them. 

The old man chuckled, making Link's stomach clench. Everything about this was setting off red flags. “What a strange predicament you two find yourselves in. Perhaps I may be able to help.” The old man stood once more, again directing their attention to the temple ruins. “Tomorrow, at dawn, meet me in those ruins. I'll tell you everything you need to know. I'll even give you a gift that you will need to get off of this isolated plateau.” The man paused, looking back at Link and Zelda. “But in the meantime, perhaps you'll accompany me back to my humble abode.” 

Link didn't want to. He really didn't want to. But, just like how Zelda had said, they had no idea where, or who they were. Besides, if the old man wanted to harm them, Link was sure him and Zelda could outrun him. How dangerous could a lone man with a lantern be? 

“Yes, that sounds wonderful. Thank you.” Zelda said politely. Link grudgingly nodded in agreement. The old man smiled pleasantly 

“Splendid! Now, would you please follow me. It isn't too far from here.” The old man again glanced at the Sheikah Slate before turning, walking down the old, crumbling steps. Zelda glanced at Link, smiling as she followed him. Still uneasy, Link had no choice but to follow, picking up a tree branch along the way.

 

It was almost dusk by the time Link and Zelda walked into the shack behind the old man, who had set his lantern to the side.

The shack was definitely humble. Maybe even too humble. It was low but long, with mossy, weak looking logs as the walls. The roof looked to be nothing more than a cloth or tarp of some kind. A creaky door led into a single room with dirty cloths as the floor. A simple poorly crafted table sat in the middle, with one hard looking bed in the corner and a few pots in the other. A long counter poked out of the wall by the bed, with a couple of mushrooms sitting untouched. An open book lay on the table, and as the old man entered he quickly snatched it and placed it on the counter by the mushrooms.

“It's not much, but I hope it will suit your needs. If I'm not back by dark, you may use the bed or the cooking pot outside if you're hungry.” The old man said, instantly walking out of the shack, not giving Link any time to ask where he was going. 

Link glanced over at the mushrooms that rested on the counter as Zelda walked over to the bed. She picked up the pillow, which was only a sack filled with straw. “He seems trustworthy.” Zelda said, setting the pillow back down. 

“We have no idea who he is.” Link replied, inspecting the mushrooms. 

Zelda walked over to Link “We don't even know who we are, Link.” 

Link glanced at the Sheikah Slate down on his hip. “That's why we need to find Purah. She said she’ll have answers.” 

“How can you be so sure? She told us it's been 100 years. We don't even know if she's still alive.” 

“Then what do we do?” Link asked. 

Zelda looked over at the counter, spotting the book. “We should try to gather information.” She smiled, grabbing the book and reading what Link assumed was the title. “The Old Man’s Diary.” Zelda read. She snorted. “Why, he doesn't even call himself by his own name!” 

“Maybe that is his name?” Link suggested. 

Zelda looked at Link with a shocked expression. “What a horrid name! Who would name their child ‘Old Man?’” 

Link merrily shrugged. “Who would name their child Link?” He mumbled, quiet enough so that Zelda didn't hear. 

Zelda quickly scanned through the pages, frowning as she set the book aside. “There's nothing there. It only talks about a meal he forgot an ingredient to.” 

Snorting, Link looked outside the doorway. It was just barely turning dark. Suddenly, he realized how tired he was. The only problem-he'd already slept for 100 years. “We can go find him in the morning and ask more questions.” Link said, walking over to the bed. Zelda walked right up next to him.

“Honestly Link, are you going to make me sleep on the ground? Even without your memory, you wouldn't make a girl sleep in the dirt, would you?” She said, her hands on her hips. 

Link looked at Zelda with annoyed eyes. “Neither of us have to sleep on the ground.” He remarked, rather monotone. 

Zelda scoffed. “I am not squeezing onto some rickety old plank of wood with you. There's no room at all.” Zelda hastily said, her face red and flustered. “Besides, you smell bad.” She added, the red fading from her face and residing in her ears. 

Sighing, Link took a few steps away from the bed. He felt as if this sort of situation would be happening a lot in the future. “Fine.” He grumbled, plopping down onto the dirty fabric, turning away from Zelda. 

There was a moment of silence, before something soft but rough hit him in the head. Opening his eyes in exasperation, he sat up and turned, only to find the makeshift pillow lying on the ground next to him. He picked it up, looking up at Zelda who was already lying on the bed, her back facing him. Her golden hair spread out behind her like it was a blanket itself. 

Suddenly feeling guilty for sounding so rough, he turned away, laying his head onto the pillow. It made sleeping on the ground not as jarring. Although, he almost felt like he didn't need it. He felt like he'd rather be sleeping on the ground then on the bed. But, the gift was still heartwarming. If Zelda had wanted the bed so bad, she probably wanted the pillow as well. “Thanks.” Link mumbled sheepishly. Zelda didn't reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here's the deal. I am not completely done with this, although I do have the first two chapters done, with the third close to being finished. I wanted to try updating my story every now and again, (again, trying something new haha) but I have to warn you. I. am. not. a. good. time. manager. I'll do my best to keep the waiting between chapters as short as possible, but I can only do so much. I won't be able to set a schedule, as my life is chaotic and extremely busy at times. So, bear with me please, and I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter in a probably very long story! (... or would you call this a book? I don't know... it's just kind of me playing around.)


	2. Gift in the Steeple

Morning came with a light trill of song that came from the tiny birds who rested on the twigs of trees. The bright, welcoming sunlight shone through the rotting log walls, waking Link. Link opened his eyes as slow as a grizzly after hibernation, yawning as he sat up. His hair was a rat's nest. He could feel it. But he didn't care. Even with dirt and dust covering him from sleeping on the ground, he never felt better. The only thing that would've made that night better was sleeping out of the shack and under the stars. 

Slowly standing, Link looked over to the bed to find Zelda still asleep. She was facing him, her mouth slightly open while the rest of her face appeared completely relaxed and peaceful. Link couldn't help but smile as he walked out of the shack, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning breeze. Nothing as refreshing as the smell of a new day. 

Link walked over to the cooking pot, looking underneath at the burnt out logs and sticks. With a rumbling stomach, Link set out to find firewood. He figured he would try his best with cooking. Besides, what was a morning without breakfast? 

 

The fire had started just as he had planned it to. The process of building the fire had come naturally to him, as if his brain had willingly stepped in to help without him telling it to. He had found water in the old man's hut, (which was now boiling in the pot,) along with the mushrooms that were on the counter and a chunk of rock salt. 

He had just barely added in the salt when Zelda walked out of the shack, rubbing an eye as he looked at him with a glazed over gaze. “Mushrooms for breakfast?” She asked, her words slightly slurred from drowsiness. 

Link nodded.

Zelda came to sit next to Link on the log that sat in front of the pot, as Link scraped at the tree branch he had picked up yesterday with a rock, sharpening it to a fine point.

“How's it coming? Is it almost done? Zelda inquired, leaning forward slightly to peer at the boiling breakfast. 

Again, Link nodded. “Almost.” 

A couple of minutes later Link deemed the mushrooms worthy, and he stabbed one with the stick, passing it to Zelda. Leaning down, he picked up another sharpened stick and stabbed the other mushroom, holding it high into the air to cool. In reality he had no idea what he was doing, but he trusted his instincts. 

“The old man told us to meet him in the ruins at dawn.” Zelda said, regarding the mushroom with a wrinkled nose and narrowed eyes. “I looked at the map on the Sheikah Slate, and it said that that temple is called the Temple of Time.” She stood, still glaring at the mushroom with distaste. “We should go now.” She said, finally looking away from the mushroom and down at Link.

“What about breakfast?” Link asked, gesturing at his mushroom. It's not that easy to boil a mushroom with just a stick and a chunk of salt. 

“We can eat on the way there.” Zelda answered, sounding a little exasperated.

Link sighed. He really didn't want to go seek out the old man, but he told himself he had no choice. They needed information, and the man had said he had a “gift” for them. 

Link stood, taking a bite from the mushroom. It wasn't revolting, but then again it wasn't tasty. But, it would last them till they found the old man. Zelda had taken a bite of her own from the mushroom, and she was showing obvious dislike. Apparently, she was not a huge fan of shrooms. 

 

It took awhile for them to reach the so called Temple of Time, but they had finally made it to the first of the steps. They had discarded their sticks long ago, having finished their mushrooms in seconds. Even though it wasn't as good as it could've been, they had still been hungry. 

The ruins before them were larger up close, as is with every structure. The temple itself looked to at least have a roof, although it was peppered with holes and cracks. The courtyards and separate smaller buildings off to the sides though didn't have a roof at all. 

Link took the lead, walking onto the crumbly steps and making his way to one of the ruined structures off to his left. He walked through a doorway, spotting a treasure chest sitting on what appeared to be some sort of mini shallow stage. He sped up his pace, kneeling before the chest and opening it. 

“What's inside?” Zelda asked, looking over Link's shoulder. Link reached in, pulling out a short sword with wide eyes. It looked to be perfectly intact and capable of usage, although the sword had apparently seen better days. The handle was simply wrapped up with leather, the blade scratched and dented. They didn't have much time to admire their new weapon, though. A strange gurgling sound came from behind them, causing every hair on the back of Link's neck to bolt up, and he followed suit, turning just as Zelda let out a surprised gasp. 

There was a ...thing in front of them. A monster by the looks of it. It had a mangled pig-like face with long, drooping ears and a short, snotty snout. Its beady blue eyes narrowed in on Link, a purple tongue swinging out of its gaping mouth like it was panting. It was wearing nothing but a stained loin cloth and a skull medallion dangling on a leather cord around its neck. The monster was wielding a crude wooden club, its strange rocking and animal like movements causing it to swing almost casually in its harsh grip. 

“W-what is that?” Zelda stuttered, stepping behind Link. 

As if on cue, the monster bolted towards them, letting out a strange gurgle-like roar as it raised it's club. Zelda yelped and darted out of the way and hiding behind a pile of rubble, but Link held his ground. Something about this was oddly familiar, like he’d done this hundreds of times before. 

Link lifted the sword in front of him just as the monster heaved his club down on him, their weapons bashing together violently. Feeling his muscles giving way, Link leaped out of the test of strength and thrust his sword towards the monster. The monster let out a choked yelp as it jumped back out of harm's way, growling as anger flooded it’s eyes.

Not another second was wasted as the monster charged yet again, anticipating Link’s slash with the sword and smacking him in the side with his wooden club. From the force of the impact, Link stumbled and fell onto the ground, rolling to the side as the monster slashed down, a dull thud sounding as the club whacked the grassy stones. Link hastily stood, breathing hard as he raised his sword. The roll had gotten him directly behind the hideous monster; the perfect time to strike.

With all of his strength, Link stabbed his dull sword into the back of the monster, stepping back as the creature let out a blood curdling screech before falling to the ground. 

Zelda hesitantly came out from her hiding spot, making her way by Link. “What was that?” She repeated, staring down at the creature. Her eyes flicked over to something that was sitting in the stringy grass. “The Sheikah Slate!” She cried, rushing over to pick up the slab. “You dropped it.” She said accusingly.

Panting, Link didn't reply as he stalked towards the monster and pulled his sword out, the blade making a sickening slick as it slid out of the dead carcass. His side was aching from where the monster had hit him, making it hard not to limp. But he figured he'd be fine. 

Zelda wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I hope we never have to see one of those things again.” She said grouchily, stomping over to Link. “And I’m holding onto the Sheikah Slate from now on. I don’t trust you with it, and neither with that sword might I add.” She glanced down at the belt that Link had used to hook on the Sheikah Slate. “I’m going to need that.” She pointed at the leather belt. 

Knowing that Zelda wouldn’t let this matter fall, Link sighed and unclasped the leather strap, handing it over to Zelda. As Zelda wrapped the strap around her and clasped it on, he wiped his sword on the grass and slipped it through another leather strap that he had found in the chest. Apparently whoever had put those clothes in those chests had known that Link would need a place for a weapon. The thought unsettled him. 

“Now. We need to find that old man.” Zelda said, turning around with a huff and walking out of the ruins, keeping a wide berth around the monster’s dead body. 

“Why so angry?” Link asked, hurrying up to keep stride with Zelda. 

She glanced at Link. Her eyes were still wide with a hint of fear and nervousness. “You could’ve gotten your-” She cleared her throat and looked away. “I mean, you could’ve broken the Sheikah Slate. It’s our only hope for… survival.” She finished weakly. 

Link smiled. “Were you worried about me?” 

Zelda shot Link a dangerous look. “I was afraid you’d turn the ruins to dust. You barely have technique, or let alone control with that sword.” 

Still smiling, Link shrugged. Despite the amusing fact that Zelda was scared for him, he was too. That monster was unlike anything he’d ever seen. That is… unless he had seen one before, well… before his memory got messed up.

As they continued along the steps towards the main temple, no words passed between the two. Apparently the encounter with the monster had scared them more then they cared to show. Just as they were about to come around a bend that would lead them into the temple, Link shot his arm out in front of Zelda to stop her. 

“What?” She said, a hint of anger still on her voice. 

“Don’t you hear that?” Link hissed. A very faint sound of breathing and snorting became louder as they stopped moving. Link felt that familiar chill creep along his spine and up his neck, making his hair stand on end. 

Apparently Zelda felt it too. “Not another one.” She whispered, almost whimpering. 

Link glanced at her, motioning for her to stay, as he took his sword out and took a few silent steps forward, peeking around the bend. Sure enough, there was another monster, almost identical to the one from before. It had the same orange-brown color, the same snotty snout, and the same beady blue eyes. 

Link crept back to Zelda, nodding as if to say: “Yep, there’s a deadly monster, just around the bend! Blocking the entrance to the temple!”

Turning to look back at the monster, Link crept up to the bend again, when the monster suddenly popped up directly in front of him, raising it’s club. Link yelped and darted out of the way, hearing Zelda cry out in fear as she too ran out of the monster’s reach. She bolted for the temple, hiding inside the crumbly building. Link dashed behind the monster, putting his back to the temple. He swung his sword with all of his might just as the monster raised it’s club in defense, catching the chunk of wood and wrenching it out of the monster's grasp. 

Letting his instincts take over, Link swung at the monster again, catching the creature in the head. The pig-like thing was dead before it hit the ground. Link smiled in triumph and rushed into the temple, praying there weren’t any more monsters in the building. Zelda stared at Link, dumbfounded. 

“What is it?” Link asked, again wiping his sword on the grass before slipping it back into the leather strap that was supposed to be a sheath. 

“That looked oddly professional.” She remarked. 

Link shrugged. “I just let my instincts take over.”

“Well then maybe you were an elite swordsman, destined to slay evil before you took a 100 year nap.” Zelda said jokingly. 

Link was about to mention how ridiculous that sounded when a familiar voice sounded from above, cutting their conversation short. 

“Oho! Looks like you two finally made it here alive!” The old man called. It took a moment before Link could find where he was. When he did, his mouth fell open a little. The mysterious old man was looking down at them from a large gaping hole in the roof, waving his lantern in greeting. “Quickly! Make your way up here! There’s an old ladder out here on the side! Oh, and might I say, congratulations on slaying those bokoblins! They can be a real pain in the buttocks!” And then the old man was gone, disappearing from the hole. 

Link looked over at Zelda. “What’s a bokoblin?” He asked. 

Zelda gave Link a look. “You expect me to know?” She replied. 

 

Now that the excitement had passed, Link was finally able to take a good look around the interior of the temple. The ground was mostly just grass, but underneath it wasn't dirt. You could still feel, and in some parts see, the hard stone floor of the once majestic temple. Huge windows that must have once been beautiful were now shattered, some completely missing. 

There wasn't much inside the temple itself, but what there was was a large statue sitting on a raised platform, with short stairs leading up to it. The statue was old and almost to the point of falling apart, but it still looked powerful and important, with a hint of grace. It looked to be some sort of angel, or goddess, with a soft expression that somehow still ordered obedience. 

Smaller identical statues circled the large one, all of them facing outwards as if they were performing some ritual.

I wonder who made that. Link thought, turning away and looking up at the giant hole in the ceiling where the old man had appeared. When Zelda didn't respond, he looked back down only to find her staring at the statue with wide eyes.

“I know that statue. I feel like I've seen one like it before, but… not here.” She murmured. 

Link looked back at the statue. No strange feeling came. “Are you sure?” He asked, wondering if Zelda was remembering anything. 

“I… I don't… nevermind.” She mumbled, turning away from the statue and walking through the crumbled part of the wall. “Come on. The old man said to climb up over here.” 

Link didn't know what was wrong with Zelda, or what was running through her head, but he shrugged it off. There was no point in worrying about something you can't even remember or know about. 

They both walked to the outside of the temple, and sure enough, a rusty looking ladder leading up to the roof was built into the side. 

Immediately Zelda walked up to the ladder and started to climb, not even stopping to make sure if it was safe. Link followed behind, giving Zelda some time on the ladder before he started to climb as well. 

They were up on the roof in minutes. The roof was made of wood, with a rust colored paint fading from the grains. They looked over at the steeple that poked up into the blue sky. One of the walls was gone, letting them see into the steeple, and sure enough, the old man was there, standing silently as he watched them. 

Except… there was something wrong. As they got closer to the steeple, (stepping carefully on the slanted roof, of course,) Link could make out ominous little green-blue fires floating around the feet of the old man. They were glowing, fading in and out of existence periodically. Link stared at the fires as they climbed into the steeple, standing a good five feet away from the old man. 

He chuckled. “Took you two long enough.” He said gruffly, his eyes shifting between Link and Zelda. “Now then…” The tone of his voice suddenly became serious, as if he were about to proclaim someone's death. “The time has come to show you who I truly am.” He paused, his eyes focusing on Zelda. “I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. I was… the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom which no longer exists…” His words faded as a bright light began to shine from within him. It suddenly grew blindingly intense, forcing Link and Zelda to shield their eyes. 

When they looked back, they were both too shocked to speak. Standing before them was a ghost. The old man had been transformed into the ghost of a king. Wearing a large blue coat with gold decor and jewelry, he looked powerful and rich. The hood was gone, revealing his white hair and a crown upon his head. He was floating almost a foot off of the ground, the strange green flames circling him still. He was glowing more intense, as would a spirit do. 

Link couldn't believe his eyes. This didn't make any sense. The old man was dead? He spared a glance over at Zelda, who looked as if her entire world had been shattered. Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with confusion. 

The old man, or… King Rhoam continued to speak, his voice slow and regretful. “The Great Calamity… a powerful creature of vile malice and hatred, escaped from his prison a century ago. He was merciless, devastating everything in its path. It was then when my life was taken away from me, and my beloved kingdom destroyed. And since that time, I've remained here, in spirit form.” The king paused, regarding them with a sympathetic gaze. “When you two first stepped out of the cave, I did not think it was wise to overwhelm you with my true identity. And so, I thought it was best to assume a temporary form.” He began to walk, or float, to one of the shattered windows of the steeple, facing the horizon as he looked over his shoulder. “Forgive me.” He said quietly, not waiting for a response. He continued. “But now… I think you are ready. Ready to hear what happened, 100 years ago.

“To know Calamity Ganon's true form, one must know the story from an age long past. The demon king was born into this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created a horror unknown to other lands. Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairytales. But there was also… a prophecy. 

“‘The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power to oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground.’ We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics, made by the hands of our distant ancestors.

“These relics, the Divine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously. This coincided with ancient legends often passed throughout our land. 

“We also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. It was they who sealed Ganon away using the power of these ancient relics. 

“100 years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side. It was clear that we must follow our ancestors’ path. We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts. With the princess as their commander, we dubbed these pilots Champions-a name that would solidify their unique bond.

“The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon…” The king paused, as if this part of the story was painful to tell. 

“But nay… Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Divine Beasts and turned them against us. 

“The Champions lost their lives, those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess… And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon. 

“However… The princess survived to face Ganon alone. Using the last of her strength and the last of her power, she sealed Ganon into the castle, later collapsing from exhaustion.”

Again, the king paused, looking directly at Zelda. “That princess was my own daughter… That was you, my dear Zelda.” Zelda didn't even gasp as the king said this. Link had a feeling she had already figured it out. The king turned, now facing them. 

“And the courageous knight who protected her right up to the very end… That knight was none other than you, Link. You fought valiantly when your fate took an unfortunate turn. Both of you, the princess and her knight, were taken to the Shrine of Resurrection. Here you now stand revitalized, 100 years later. 

“The seal that you, Zelda, placed on Ganon was strong, but it will not last. When Ganon breaks the seal and freely regenerates himself, nothing will stop him from consuming our land.

“Considering that I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you two… But I am powerless here. You both must do whatever it takes to annihilate Ganon, and save my kingdom.

“Somehow, Ganon has maintained control over all four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians swarming around Hyrule Castle. I believe it would be quite reckless to head directly to the castle at this point. I believe the Sheikah Slate has a guide for you, already set by Purah. Once you find her, in Hateno Village, she will tell you what you need to know.” 

The king then smiled, directing their attention to two chests that sat side by side against the wall of the steeple. “In their is the gift I promised you. Well, it's actually more like two gifts. There are two of you after all.

“And...well, I've told you everything I can. There's nothing more I can do for you.” The king looked down at Zelda, his eyes filled with guilt and regret. “Zelda… I…” He hesitated, taking a breath. “You must save… Hyrule.” And as his voice faded from that last word, so did his entire figure, disappearing into the little green flames that danced in the afternoon breeze. And as the flames themselves faded away, the ominous silence of the ruins filled the steeple. 

The King of Hyrule was gone.


	3. Departure

“W-wait…” Zelda croaked, reaching out into nothing. The color from her face was gone, and she looked as if she might start to cry. But then again… Link felt just as worse. Everything now made sense, but that somehow made everything more confusing. 

Where to begin? First they face a hideous, terrifying creature that was out for blood, and now they must face an ancient monstrosity that already defeated them 100 years ago? And not to mention that that creature had also destroyed an entire kingdom. 

But all of that must have passed right over Zelda's head. She had just met her father who, apparently, was already dead. Link looked over at Zelda, his heart sinking as he saw tears trickling down her cheeks as she stared at the spot where the king had once stood. 

“He...he was my dad.” She said quietly, looking at Link. “All this time. He was my father, and he didn't care to mention it until now.”

Link didn't know what to say. Should he comfort her? Should he stay silent? Hug her? “Do you… remember him?” He asked, wincing as he realized how brunt that sounded. 

Zelda sniffed and wiped at the tears on her face. “No. I only have these blurry images in my head. I can't make sense of it.” She answered bluntly, walking to the two chests that sat patiently. She bent down and opened one, pulling out a strange contraption made of wood and fabric. It was folded up somehow, but when it was out of the chest it popped open, revealing some sort of glider. It had brown fabric with a large design on it that reminded Link of a bird. Two curved handles came out underneath the fabric. 

“It's a paraglider.” Zelda said, seemingly forgetting the tear stains on her cheeks. “But there's only one.” 

In response, Link bent down and opened the second chest, revealing a second paraglider, although when he pulled it out and it popped open, it was completely different. It was a dark, calm purple that didn't draw attention to itself. It had a strange symbol on it, one that almost looked like the symbols that were on the kings blue robe. It was three golden triangles placed in a way that it created a complete triangle, with bird like wings and feet stretching out from it. Zelda reached over and grabbed the paraglider, handing Link the brown one. She stared down at the symbol with sad eyes. 

Link regarded Zelda with a worried look. She had brushed off her emotions so quickly. He still couldn't believe everything the king had said. It all seemed like a haze or some fevered dream. 

“Zelda…” Link began, struggling to find the right words. “Are you okay?” He asked. The words felt out of place in his mouth. 

Zelda made eye contact with Link, a fiery anger in her green eyes. “We need to get off of this plateau. I'll use this one, and you can use that one there that you're holding.” 

She brushed the question away. Link thought to himself, hoping the torment that he was sure was inside Zelda's head wasn't going to blow up in their faces. But, he decided to let the matter go… for now. 

Together, they stood and walked to one of the missing windows, paraglider in hand. Zelda stepped in front of Link and raised her paraglider, immediately stepping out of the steeple and into the open air. Link quickly followed suit, jumping for good measure. 

 

The air was refreshing, but the thrill of it all was terrifying. Link knew that if he let one finger slip while soaring through the sky, he'd be dead. 

He wouldn't have had it any other way. The view was terrific, and the breeze that pulled eagerly at his clothes was ticklish. He smiled as he clung to the paraglider, dangling his feet over the stretching horizon. 

Zelda was just ahead, silently slicing through the air with her purple paraglider. They were almost to the edge of the Great Plateau, and Link could already feel his arms starting to tire. As they soared over the cliffs, the breeze started to feel thicker than fresh honey. His legs seemed to have 100 pound weights tied to them, weighing him down and mercilessly pulling on his arms. 

They were closer to the ground now, a long way away from the isolated plateau. Ruins stretched out before them of crumbling roads and roof-lacking buildings, all made up of stone. And just when Link was sure he was going to fall from exhaustion, they landed, Zelda collapsing as her paraglider splattered onto the ground beside her. 

“Who knew that would be so exhausting!” Zelda said between breaths, laughing nervously. Her hair was blown out of her face, wildly dancing behind her in the slight breeze that weaved in and out of the ruins. 

Link smiled and dropped the paraglider, swinging his arms to loosen his muscles. “I never exp-” The paraglider at Link's feet burst into flames, making Link yelp and jump back in surprise. 

A deep rumbling roar sounded from the ruins, when I bokoblin stepped out into the open, wielding a bow and an arrow that was on fire. Except…the bokoblin wasn't the thing that roared. Behind the pig creature stomped out a much taller version of the gurgling monster with the same gross orange color. It's snout was almost as long as Link's sword, swinging and flinging in a disgusting way. A long, thin mouth lay slightly open from the snout, with a surprisingly green tongue flipping out of the side. The giant monster had a large curved horn on top of its tiny head, tall enough to almost look like it could snap at any moment. The rest of its body was hunched over and lanky, with ape-like arms that almost touched the ground and short legs with flat feet. 

The giant was wielding a stubby club that seemed to be too small for it. It swung the weapon violently, tilting its head and snout up as it let out another skull-rattling roar. The bokoblin gurgled in suit, almost smiling with its flat, hideous face. 

“Let’s get out of here!” Zelda exclaimed just as the bokoblin raised it's bow again, taking aim. Link was amazed the thing could actually hold the bow, much less fire it. 

Turning and snatching Zelda's hand, Link sprinted into the ruins just as a flaming arrow whistled past them, where he hoped the crumbling buildings would offer protection.

They weaved in and out through different piles of rubble and walls, Link having to catch Zelda from falling multiple times. The ground was peppered with deserted chunks of stone and wood, making it almost impossible not to stumble. 

The roar of the giant was still behind him, but Link thought it sounded more distant. The bokoblins strange sounds were completely gone now though, which only quickened Link's steps. 

Soon they both left the ruins, finding themselves on a dirt road, leading to a firmly built stone bridge that spanned a wide rushing river. The bridge was definitely used frequently, as little fires flickered in little torches along it. And if it people had been there, maybe the monsters wouldn't follow them onto it. But, maybe they wouldn't have to worry about that. The roar of the giant thing had disappeared, which could only mean two things. Either the monster lost interest and gave up the chase, or it's actually smart enough to try to sneak up on them. 

“I… I think we lost it.” Zelda said, gasping for air. 

Link turned around and narrowed his eyes at the ruins, scanning for any signs that the monster was still pursuing them. He nodded in agreement, facing the bridge again. He briskly jogged to the structure, even if there was no monster in sight. His senses were on alert, which also meant his nerves were as well. 

As Zelda followed him onto the bridge, they saw a young man leaning over the railing. He was looking out at something, with his hand on his forehead, preventing the noon-day sun from blinding him. He looked to be an average height, with casual short-trimmed brown hair. His ears were long and pointed, just like Link and Zelda's. He was wearing a thick red shirt with a tan vest over it, with dark blue wooly trousers and high, brown boots and a large pack on his back that looked completely stuffed. All in all, he looked like an average casual man. Except… he was holding a spear. But then again, Link had a sword. 

“The end is here…” Link heard the man groan as they walked closer to him. He continued. “I may be somewhat used to seeing bad omens by now, but everything that’s been happening… Well, let's just say it's worse than most.” He turned, his eyes wide with fear. “We're doomed!” He exclaimed, before his gaze softened. “I mean, don't panic! Sorry. who are you two? Have we met? Well, it doesn't really matter who you guys are, really. I was getting tired of talking to myself, so you've come at a good time.” 

“What do you mean by… doomed?” Zelda asked, almost tentatively. 

The young man sighed, as if Zelda were a naive toddler who didn't know the harsh reality of the world. “Monsters have always been in Hyrule, but ever since yesterday they've popped up all over the place! So, I've been keeping a look on that thing, just to see if it starts moving, ya know?”

Zelda raised an eyebrow. “What thing?” 

“I'm talking about that Guardian, of course! Haven't you heard the old stories of Hyrule?” He pointed out across the river, showing them a junk of rusted and moss-covered material sitting on the shorebank. It looked almost like a spider, with a cone-like head with a flat top and a rounded body, with legs sticking out around the whole thing. “See that thing over there? The one shaped like an overturned urn? THAT is what I'm talking about.” 

He faced them again. “Did you know some of them can move? One of them chased me and tried to kill me!”

“This one here?” Link asked. 

“No it was a different one. That one was closer to the castle but before the forest… when they spot you, they shoot beams of light at you! Man, I was so sure that was the end for me. I was prepared for the worst. But I somehow managed to escape into the nearby woods. You think it was my lightning-fast reflexes that saved me?” 

The man let out a laugh. “Ha, I wish. Truth is, I just got lucky. Anyway, I hear Guardians like that still wander around Hyrule Castle. Be careful.” 

Zelda nodded and smiled. “Thank you…” 

“Brigo.” The man finished for her, giving her a warm smile. “I patrol this bridge, Proxim bridge, so if you two ever need someone to chat with, I'm your man.” He smiled again before continuing on his way down the bridge, spear in hand. 

Link and Zelda crossed back onto the dirt road and off of Proxim Bridge, looking up at the two looming mountains. They looked like they had once been one, but then a divine being had smacked the rock with an axe, cutting a jagged line in the rock, creating a narrow canyon. 

The river that had gushed underneath Proxim Bridge had forked into two, with one burrowing straight through the crack of the two peaks. A wide dirt road ran alongside the river, marking their path. 

Zelda pulled out the Sheikah Slate, looking continuously up at the mountains and down at the slate. “Those two mountains are called the Dueling Peaks, and on the other side is a stable.” She said, putting the Sheikah Slate back on her hip. 

“A stable?” Link repeated.

Zelda nodded in return before beginning to walk. Neither of them had mentioned a thing about that Guardian sitting on the sandy bank of the river, or what Brigo had told them. The Guardian had looked so painfully familiar, and after the story King Rhoam, or… Zelda's father had told them, it appeared to be even more menacing. They knew what those things were capable of. 

In truth, Link had wanted to talk to Zelda about it. He not only wanted to make sure she was okay, but he also wanted to confide his muddled feelings in someone. But, maybe silence was the coping mechanism Zelda used with harsh information. Or maybe their supposed past was too painful to talk about right now.

The answer was most likely the latter.

***

It took almost an hour to walk through the narrow canyon between the Dueling Peaks. The canyon was kept in shadows, as the sun had moved from its high perch and had started its descent to mark the afternoon. The river beside Link and Zelda had proved to be a comforting companion, its rushing waters sounding like slurred whispers; a constant sound to deafen the silence. 

Now that they were out of the canyon, they could see a large tent-like structure sitting just over a bridge and by a shallow pond. It was at the edge of a large swamp infested field. The only thing that set Link on edge was the fact that a bunch of decaying Guardians and stone ruins sat scattered throughout the field. 

“That's the stable.” Zelda said, pointing out the obvious as well as pointing to the stable itself. It had a large horse shaped structure sitting on top of the roof right smack in the center. Link could see people moving around the stable, some with large packs while others seemed to have been staying for a long while. 

Without another word, Link and Zelda briskly walked across the bridge, eager to see more faces that weren't mangled like a monsters. They were both tired from walking all day, although neither had admitted to it. Perhaps they could rest at the stable for the night before continuing onto Hateno Village. 

They made it across the wooden bridge, able to see the stable better. It had two openings, leading into a wooden floored circular room with beds lining the walls and a simple table with stools in the corner. A desk and a man behind it sat in between the openings, looking outwards to help guests. Cloth covered boxes and crates sat scattered around the stable, with a cooking pot sitting closest to the place. Three horses stood in a small stable, whinnying and snorting as they ate from a trough in front of them. 

Zelda walked up to the man at the desk while Link eyed a peculiar dressed man, with a huge pack in the shape of a beetle on his back. it looked painfully heavy, and the man was hunched over from the strain. His face didn't show any signs of struggle though. 

“Excuse me, sir, may we each borrowed a horse from you?” She asked, gesturing over to the horses. 

The man smiled, amused. “Is this your first time using a stable, miss?” 

“Yes…” She answered hesitantly.

The man's amused smile widened. “Well I am sorry to disappoint, but… we don’t give you any horses. You have to capture some yourself, and when you need someone to take it off your hands for a short while, that is when you come to the stable.” He explained. 

Zelda frowned. “You won't let us even rent a horse? Just one?” 

Shaking his head, the man's smile turned sympathetic. “I'm afraid not. But, now that the Calamity has disappeared from its last attack 100 years ago, horses have returned to this swamp. You'll find some over in that direction.” The man pointed towards a grove of trees by the bridge, where the river continued on along a cliffside. 

Zelda looked as if she was about to continue arguing, so Link stepped in, lightly pushing Zelda behind him. “Thank you.” He said, his voice rough from being unused. He took Zelda's arm and led her away and towards the grove of trees the man had pointed out for them. 

“Isn't that just preposterous? They call themselves a stable and yet they don't even have horses to share.” Zelda complained, walking out of Link's grip and pulling ahead. Link didn't reply. 

As they walked closer to the grove, they spotted four horses leaning their heads down and gnawing on the grass. Link zeroed in on the horse closest to him, a strong looking horse with a solid dark brown coat and a wild black mane and tail. 

He crouched down and started to stealth towards the horse, keeping low to the tall grass. He didn't really know what he was doing, but at least he knew that horses were skittish. They would gallop away at the first sign of danger. And Link assumed he looked very dangerous. 

Closer and closer he crept, until the horse was only about two feet away from him. Without wasting a second he pounced, leaping up over the horse's backside. Immediately the horse reared, neighing frantically. It raised itself onto its back hooves, kicking it's front legs in an attempt to buck Link off. It worked. 

Link was flung off of the horse, getting knocked in the chest with one of the horses back hooves on the way down. Link landed hard onto the ground, groaning in pain. The four horses galloped away, stirred into a panicked frenzy. 

“Link!” Zelda cried, hurrying over to him. “Are you okay? That looked painful.” 

Link's chest was throbbing painfully. The kick hadn't been powerful enough to break anything, but the impact had definitely bruised him. 

“I'm fine.” Link grumbled in response, wincing as he sat up. He stood, spotting the horses a while away, closer to the shore of the river. He didn't know why, but he wanted that brown horse. When he had seen it, it had struck a chord in him. For some reason, the horse had awakened something in his head, a fuzzy memory of his 100 year old past. 

He instantly quietly jogged towards the horses, hiding behind trees for good measure. Zelda stayed behind, watching with interest. 

Once he was about ten feet away and hiding behind a tree, Link crouched down again and started his second attempt at catching a horse. 

This time, as he leaped up onto the same horse, he was ready for the bucking and rearing. He gripped onto the horses black mane, gritting his teeth as the horse continued to buck around. He continuously patted the horses neck, hoping it would calm down. The other three horses had long since scattered, leaving plenty of room for the horse to panic. 

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the horse calmed down, shaking its head like a dog. Link patted the horses neck again and muttered a word of comfort, smiling despite himself. Panting, he tried to remember how to ride a horse. Letting his instincts take over like so many times before, he spurred the horse into action, steering it with a clump of its hair in his fist. 

The horse trotted up to Zelda, and he smiled down at her with pride. 

“Impressive. Perhaps you could get me one as well?” Zelda asked, inspecting the horse with wonder. 

The horse nickered and shook its head again. Link quickly comforted his newly caught steed, calming it down.

Link gave Zelda a look, his eyes telling her his response. I am not doing that again. 

Zelda returned the look with one of annoyance just as she placed her hands on her hips. “Then we'll have to share.” She said firmly, turning on her heel and walking back towards the stable. Link again spurred the horse into a slow trot, following behind the stubborn girl in front of him. 

 

When Link brought the horse up to the counter, the man seemed impressed. He told them that usually you had to pay 20 rupees, (at the mention of it Zelda and Link remembered the type of currency in Hyrule,) for a saddle and bridle, but he had told them that he would let them off for free since it was their first horse. He also mentioned that they looked horrible, tired, and hungry. 

But at the mention of them having a bed to sleep in for the night, the man had declined the request despite their weary looks. “Two beds cost 40 rupees, 20 for each. But, there's some apples over on that crate for free.” 

Zelda and Link walked away from the stable, Link having put his newly caught steed, (he hadn't thought up a name for it yet,) into the stable. They trudged over to the apples. Link hadn't realized how hungry he was until the man had pointed it out. Sure enough, there were three apples sitting on one of the crates by the cooking pot. Link reached out and grabbed one, handing two to Zelda. She took them with a short smile. 

“How are we going to get 40 rupees?” Zelda asked, taking a bite from one of the apples while the second rested in her other hand. 

Link pulled out his sword in response, showing Zelda the blade. “We could sell this.” He offered. He took his own bite from the fresh, red fruit. 

Zelda frowned as she looked at the beaten up weapon. “We can try.” She mumbled. 

Turning his head, Link made eye contact with that strange merchant from before with the large pack, who was now sitting on the ground in front of the stable, a small makeshift counter sitting on his lap. The merchant smiled, an overly-cheery smile, and beckoned for them to come over. 

They went over, stopping before the merchant. The man rested his hands on the counter, looking eager to buy or sell. “You two must be new! I'm Beedle! If you ever forget, just look at my beetle shaped pack! It's not hard to miss!” Beedle’s voice was higher than normal, with an enthusiastic tone that almost sounded fake. 

“Yes, hello sir, we-” Zelda began, but she was cut off with a loud chuckle from Beedle. 

“Please, no sirs! I'm known as Beedle!”

Zelda gave the merchant an annoyed look before continuing. “Of course, Beedle. We were wondering how much you would be willing to give to us for this.” She said, pulling the sword out of Link's sheath. 

Beedle took the sword out of Zelda's hands, taking a closer look at the blade. He frowned. “Well it isn't much!” He laughed. “But maybe I could give you 10?” 

Zelda placed her hands on her hips. “20.” She said firmly.

Beedle frowned, but it was more that of a guilty animal. “Can we settle on 15?” 

“We need 40 rupees for two beds.” Zelda retorted. 

At this Beedle smiled largely. “Why don't you guys share a bed for 20?” 

Zelda's face grew red, and Link could feel his own face grow warm. “W-we would rather have our own. One each.” Zelda replied, her voice sounding flustered. 

“I will give you 20, only because you both look so tired!” Beedle chuckled again. “If you're going to be traveling together, then you better get used to being with each other!” 

With the red still prominent on her cheeks, Zelda folded her arms. “Fine.” She snapped. Beedle let out a whoop and reached behind him, fumbling with something before handing a single red rupee out to Zelda. She picked it from his open hand, her face still red, but not as bright as the new shiny rupee. It was close though. Even if Zelda hadn’t kept arguing for 40 rupees, Link doubted she would let him sleep with her on the same bed, and he was just fine with that. 

Beedle bid them farewell, slicing the sword through the air like a child would do. Link finished off his apple, tossing the core out into the grass. Zelda still had the second one, but she didn't look like she wanted to eat it. Link wanted to ask for it, as he was still hungry, but he decided against it. Zelda already looked flustered enough. 

She walked up to the counter, placing the red rupee onto the wooden surface. “One bed, please.” She said. 

The man took the rupee and nodded. “Just inside. Although, I wouldn't go to bed quite yet.” He said, indicating how the sun hadn't started to set yet. 

Zelda nodded in return. “Of course.” And with that, Zelda and Link walked over to the cooking pot, sitting on the makeshift stools from stumps. Silence wrapped around the two, suffocating them until Zelda was the first to speak.

“You need to name your horse.” Zelda said, breaking the wrap of silence between them. 

Link looked up from the pot. “What should I name him?” 

“It's a him?”

He nodded.

Zelda thought for a moment. “Brown….ie?” She said hesitantly, smiling as if to say ‘that's not too horrible, right?’ 

Amused, Link smiled and shook his head. “How about Caviar?” He asked. 

“Caviar?” Zelda repeated, nodding her head slightly. “I like the sound of that.” 

Link returned his gaze to the fire under the cooking pot. “I’ll sleep out here.” He said. 

Ignoring the sudden change of subject, Zelda replied. “Are you kidding? It’s going to get freezing out here. You’ll be sleeping in the stable.” 

Again, Link looked up at Zelda. “On the floor?” He asked, confused. 

“If you really want to.” Zelda’s face was starting to grow red again. 

“Do you want me to?”

Zelda suddenly looked like a cornered animal. “I mean I was going to let you sleep in the bed with- or… next to m-me.” She stumbled through the sentence, almost painfully. 

Link had to hold back a smile. “Then we’ll share.” He didn’t really see the problem. After all, they barely remembered anything anyways. 

Now Zelda’s face was completely red, just as it had been before. She didn’t say anything as the fire crackled merrily underneath the cooking pot. Link subconsciously felt at the empty leather band where his sword had been, feeling strangely bare without a weapon. 

The silence didn’t last long between them. “If those pig things are bokoblins, what do you think those giants are?” Zelda asked randomly. The question was enough to infuse the air with an awkward atmosphere. 

Link shrugged. 

Zelda sighed, standing. “I’m going to walk around the stable.” She said, looking down at Link as if to ask him if he wanted to come. He didn’t look up from the pot. “You don’t have to come…” She mumbled, walking away with an annoyed posture. 

After she had rounded the bend, Link looked up to where she had disappeared. His eyes shifted to a rusted body of a Guardian, thriving moss wrapping around the inanimate husk. His thoughts wandered to what the king had told them. It seemed so long ago, even though it was simply that morning. “The Champions lost their lives, those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess…” Link’s head spun. Who exactly were the Champions? Did he know them well? “The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess…” By collapsing did the king mean… dead? What exactly happened 100 years ago? Was he really Zelda’s “appointed knight”?

So many questions needed answers, but Link wasn’t sure he’d like them all when he got them.


	4. Hateno Village

The next morning Link and Zelda left right as the sun peeked over the hills, (after splitting the last apple from the other night,) staying silent about the fact that they had shared a bed for the night. Link got Caviar from the stable, introduced the horse to his new name, and set off for Hateno Village.

The first day of the trip was quiet. Link sat in front of Zelda, grasping onto the reins tighter then he needed to as they passed the graveyard of Guardians in the swampy field. It set him on edge for some reason. 

They passed through a large stone wall that was practically falling apart. Rusting Guardians crouched frozen in time, their spindly legs arched like a spiders. According to the Sheikah Slate, the stone wall was called Fort Hateno, and the graveyard of Guardians was the Ash Swamp.

After that they trotted through a narrow canyon and the ruins of a riding course, slowly getting closer and closer to their destination. Caviar was proving to be especially durable despite the long ride. The sun was just hovering over the canyon top when Zelda pointed out the first sign of civilization. 

“Look! Do you see that? It looks like some sort of…” Her voice trailed away as she pointed towards the direction of the village. Link followed her finger, spotting a strange looking building resting on top of a large mountain peak. A large plume of smoke from a furnace rose from it, indicating life. 

Caviar soon rounded a bend, having walked high enough so that Link and Zelda were able to get their first look at the entire Hateno Village just as sunlight was beginning to lessen. 

They had finally arrived. The village looked welcoming and warm, even though the temperature was cold enough to make Link wish he had a wooly coat. The old clothes that were too small for him didn't quite protect him from the elements. Zelda looked fine, though. 

The village itself looked large and flourishing, with plenty of tan homes with sturdy looking roofs. The building closer to the shallow mountain had more windmills on them, barely moving in the slight breeze. Flickering lights of torches and candles soon began to light up the village, creating a comforting atmosphere. Here you wouldn't be seeing any monsters. 

Most of the village folk had already turned in for the night, but there was one man with a pitch fork, eyeing them as he paced back and forth in front of the only entrance into the village. 

Link nudged Caviar forward, stopping next to the guy who was suddenly pointing his pitch fork at them like a weapon. “State your business!” He demanded. 

Suddenly, the village didn’t look as welcoming as before. “We’re trying to find a lady named Purah.” Zelda explained calmly, leaning to the side so that the man could see her. 

The man’s grip loosened on his pitchfork. “Purah? I think she’s the lab director living on top of that hill.” He said, pointing with one had to the strange building that they had seen before on the mountain peak. The man looked back at them, no longer pointing his pitchfork at them. Apparently, this man was easy to cave. “It’s almost night, though. There’s an inn down at the end of the road that you can use for the night.” 

“Thank you.” Zelda smiled as Link nudged Caviar into a trot. Following the man's directions, he directed Caviar to the inn. 

The inn was one of the largest buildings there. It had one flickering light seen through a small window, but other than that it was dark. Link slid off of Caviar, helping Zelda down before rubbing Caviar's neck in gratitude. He wished he had an apple to give their new companion, but he himself and Zelda hadn't eaten all day except that half of an apple that morning. Needless to say, they were famished. 

Despite this, Link led Caviar into the nearby stable, next to a donkey that was gnawing on some hay. A large pack filled with who knows what sat next to it. Caviar nickered and lowered his head, picking at the hay that was already on the ground in his stable. Link grabbed a rope that was already hooked to one of the posts and tied it onto Caviar's bridle. He patted the horse again and turned, walking with Zelda into the inn. 

The inside of the building looked bigger than it had from the outside. Off to one room lay multiple beds, two of them already occupied by travelers. But that didn't matter. There was plenty of room. In another room was a kitchen that looked used, and in the main room, or lobby, sat a bunch of tables and a counter to the side. A content looking girl stood behind the counter, smiling at them in welcome. Zelda led the way, smiling back. 

“Hello, I'm sorry we have come in so late.” Zelda began, clasping her hands together in front of her. Link stood a good three feet behind her, determined to keep out of the conversation. 

The girl's smile grew warmer and she giggled quietly, as to not wake the occupants already asleep. “Oh, it's not an issue, really. Now, how many beds? You can pay 20 for one bed or 40 for the extra soft beds.” Link's heart sank. They didn't have any rupees, let alone anything to trade. 

Zelda's smile fell as she realized the very same thing. “Oh… uh, well you see…” She trailed off again, sighing. 

The girl's gaze turned sympathetic. “Rough traveling?” She said with a tilt of the head. She glanced at Link. “You both look starving. Have you not any money?” 

Zelda shook her head, obviously embarrassed. 

Frowning, the girl sighed. “I'm sorry, but I can't let you have a bed. That would be against our policy, you see, but perhaps I could give you something to eat.” She said, walking around the counter and towards the kitchen. She reached up and opened a cupboard, pulling out a loaf of bread. She split it in two and handed a piece to both Link and Zelda. Link looked at the bread with distaste. It was nice of the girl to give them food, yes, but he didn't want to get by on other people's pity. 

“Thank you!” Zelda said, taking a bite from the soft bread. Link took a bite as well, surprised by it’s warmth. It tasted like it had been made only hours before they had arrived.

The girl nodded happily. “Of course! Now um… I can't let you have a bed…” 

Zelda picked up on what the girl was saying. “Yes, yes. We'll leave.” She finished for her, glancing at the beds in the other room before heading towards the door. Link followed, already resolving to sleeping on the dirt.

 

The night air was chilly but not unbearably so. Link and Zelda crouched by a fire off to the side of the road by the inn, having already finished their bread. 

“What do you suppose we do? How can we get any rupees?” Zelda asked softly, staring at the fire with a miserable expression. Behind them, still in the stable, Caviar nickered softly at the sound of their voices. 

Link frowned in thought. “Maybe I could go hunting and sell some meat.” 

“Hunt with what? You sold your sword to that Beedle man.” Zelda pointed out.

Sighing, Link looked away from the fire. “Right.” He mumbled. 

Zelda paused for a moment. “Maybe we could work for someone?” 

Link raised an eyebrow. “For who? It's already night.” 

Frustrated, Zelda looked at Link with annoyed eyes. “Then where are we supposed to sleep?” 

Link thought it was obvious. “Out here.”

Zelda didn't look happy about it, but she reluctantly agreed. She hesitantly laid down on the grass, facing the fire. Link followed suit, lying down on the opposite side. He stared at the fire for a moment, before closing his eyes. 

He was sore from riding all day, he was hungry despite the bread, and he was dead tired. But he was as content as could be. He was sure they would find food tomorrow, along with some rupees. And if they didn't, well then they would have to rely on Purah. According to the recording from the moment they had woken up, Purah was a friend. And hopefully, she was the kind of friend that lent you money and food. 

 

The next morning when Link woke up, the sun was just barely starting to rise. Zelda was still asleep, and no one was out of their homes except for some farmers out in their fields. Link rolled onto his knees and stood, wincing as his sore muscles groaned in complaint.

Link looked across the dirt road, spotting an apple tree with fresh, red apples hanging from the branches. Instantly Link jogged to the apple tree, picking some and holding them in his old shirt. He wasn't sure if the apples belonged to anyone, but he simply told himself that almost no one was awake yet to witness the theft. 

Hearing a snort behind him, Link turned to find Caviar staring at him, as if he were judging Link for taking the apples. Link raised an eyebrow and walked over to Caviar. “I was going to give you one.” He said, holding an apple in one hand out for Caviar to eat. 

The horse whinnied happily and ate the apple, chewing it and swallowing it in half a second. Link smiled slightly and gave Caviar another one, walking back to the fire, or… what was once a fire. It was burnt out now, leaving blackened wood in a small pitiful clump. Link still had two apples left, and he placed one by Zelda before taking a bite from his own. He tried not to think that all he had eaten for the past two days was an apple, half of a loaf of bread, and… another apple. 

Zelda awoke just five minutes later, sleepily thanking Link for the apple, not asking where he had gotten it from. After she finished it, she was awake and full of sudden energy, practically begging Link to get Caviar out so that they could ride to see Purah. 

“The dot says Purah is on top of the hill.” She said excitedly, showing Link the blinking yellow dot on the map before putting the Sheikah Slate away. “So let's go!” 

Link said nothing as he gently lead Caviar out of the stable, patting the side of his neck before swinging his legs over onto the saddle. Zelda climbed on behind him, and they were off, trotting up the winding dirt road to the top of the hill. 

 

It didn't take long for them to get there. As they wound around the last bend, the strange looking building from before came into view. Up close it looked even weirder. It was a wooden house with a tower built right next to it. The tower looked like the other mills in the village, but instead of a windmill, it had a roof with a rusting Guardian on it. And not only that, but it also had hastily built stairs winding around it. Sticking out of the tower wall and stretching across the roof of the wooden home was a huge long telescope that looked to be made of the same material as the Guardians. The only normal thing about the place was the white smoke billowing up out of a chimney from the house. 

Link led Caviar to a nearby tree, jumping off of his steed with Zelda following suit. He didn't bother tying him to a tree or anything. 

As Link and Zelda turned towards the building and started walking towards it, Link saw something else that reminded him of the cave he and Zelda had woken up in. It looked like a furnace, but it was in the shape of a hot air balloon. It had a fancy torch sitting in front of it, with a strange blue fire shimmering and crackling heartily.

“What do you suppose that is?” Zelda asked. 

Link only shrugged and opened the door to the wooden house. 

“What are you doing?” Zelda hissed, following Link into the house. “We can't be...in..” Her voice trailed away as they spotted a little girl no older than 6 standing on a stool, holding a sheet of paper that she had apparently been reading. Only now, her big brown eyes were trained on them. 

She had on a thick poofy dress on that was a light tan color with red and blue. She was also wearing dark blue tights and little shoes that matched the blue on her dress. On her back was a red pack with who knows what inside. On her face she had large red glasses that had eyelashes made into the frames, as if it was some part or her own peculiar fashion style.

All in all, she looked like a normal little girl, except for the fact that her hair was completely white like fresh snow as if she were 100 years old. Except… her hair was full and thick, not old, pulled into a large bun with a strange decorations planted into it of a face with two blue eyes half closed as if they were about to fall asleep, and little red sticks behind that. 

“Princess Zelda? Linky? You guys are finally awake!” The girl cheered, smiling brightly. She winked at them, which was odd for a six year old. “Took your time, now didn't ya?”

Zelda seemed embarrassed to be called “Princess” Zelda, and Link was just downright offended to be called “Linky” by a stranger. It was worse when that little stranger was younger than you. “Who are you?” Link asked. 

The little girl rolled her eyes then giggled like it was the funniest thing in the world. “I'm Purah! If that stupid resurrection thingy hadn't messed with your lil’ minds, then you'd know that.”

Zelda's embarrassment turned into excitement. “You're the one who left the recording?” 

In the response the little girl did a little jump, holding up two fingers and her thumbs in each hand in some sort of gesture. “Check it!” She cried, as if that answered Zelda's question.

 

Purah giggled as if this whole situation was the funniest thing she'd ever experienced. “You guys look so confused!” She joked. “Let me enlighten you.

“So basically, 100 years ago, Zelda, you were a princess. And lil’ Linky here was your appointed knight, and-” 

“We already know.” Zelda interrupted bluntly. 

Purah hesitated before replying, obviously offended by the interruption. “Who told you?” She huffed, stomping her little kid feet onto the stool. 

Zelda fell silent, casting her eyes downward. She looked almost angry. Link took that as a sign to speak up. “King Rhoam.” He informed Purah. 

Purah stared. “King Rhoam?” She scoffed. “He's been dead for 100 years! Are you sure you know everything? I didn't expect the Shrine of Resurrection to damage your brains so severely as to cause hallucinations, but it could be a possibility…” 

Link shifted uncomfortably. “He was dead. He disguised himself as an old man before telling us everything as a spirit.” He glanced at Zelda, who was still staring at the ground. 

Giggling again, Purah showed no empathy towards the fact that King Rhoam was Zelda's father. “Why disguise himself as an old man?” She asked, not waiting for an answer as she continued. “I mean he was an old coot anyways, so I guess that wasn’t very different, am I right?” 

Zelda's fingers balled into fists. “He did it to protect himself.” She snarled, her face red with sudden anger. “He could've spent more time with me, but he didn't. He could've told me sooner that he was my father, but he didn't. Instead, he hid away in a dirty hood like a coward!” Zelda's voice rose to a shout at that last word, silencing Purah. Link didn't know what to do or say as Zelda continued her rant. “But even as a coward, he didn't love me. If he was able to stay as a spirit for so long while we were asleep, then why isn't he with me now? Why isn't he trying to help me remember? Why is he being so selfish?!” 

Purah pursued her lips. “He's the king.” She mumbled. “He can do whatever he wants.” 

Zelda glared at Purah with her torment filled eyes. “Maybe he can do anything, maybe he can bring my memories back, and maybe he has the power to shut your mouth, but he won't!” She took a threatening step forward. “You have no idea what I'm feeling inside right now.” She growled. “Do you know what it's like? Only having bits and pieces of what people have told you? Little fragments that you'll never piece together? Its torture!” Zelda laughed scornfully. “But my father didn't care, now did he. And apparently, you don't care either.” 

Link quickly stepped in as Zelda continued to give Purah a murderous glare. “Purah, what did you want to tell us?” He asked, putting an arm out between Zelda and the little girl on the stool. 

With her hands on her hips, Purah replied without looking away from Zelda. “You guys already know, thanks to the king, so this whole trip was a waste of your time.” She snapped, holding out her hand. “If you give me the Sheikah Slate, I can set your new destination, as well as install some helpful tools that you’ll most likely need.” 

Zelda bared her teeth at Purah, showing no sign of cooperation. Link quickly grabbed the Slate from Zelda's hip and handed it to Purah, who instantly began working on who knows what. Link stared at Zelda with worry. He knew that she was feeling some conflicting emotions, but he didn't know how furious or grief filled she really was. Perhaps dealing with them earlier could have stemmed her torment before they got off of the plateau. Instead, Zelda had jumped out of the Temple of Time, gliding straight down into Hyrule. She gave no time for thinking or confessing. And now, with a simple poke in the wrong direction, Purah had popped the inflating balloon that held all of that pain. Now it was flowing out with no sign of slowing down. 

While Link was thinking this, he didn’t realize that Purah had jumped off of the stool and walked to a strange contraption, which had then dripped a peculiar blue liquid onto the Slate before she picked the Sheikah Tech back up and roughly handed it back to Link. “I also fixed up 12 pictures that were kept on the Slate. The woman you need to see in Kakariko is named Impa. She'll tell you morons what you need to know.” 

Link nodded and lightly grabbed Zelda's arm, the Sheikah Slate in his other hand.

“Let's go.” He said quietly. 

Zelda remained stubborn. “My father may have been a coward, but he was better then you'll ever be.” She murmured venomously, turning away from Purah and stomping ahead of Link and out of the home. 

Before Link could leave, Purah called out to him. “There are four Runes on the Sheikah Slate that you can use. Stasis, Magnesis, Cryonis, and Remote Bombs. I’ll leave you two to figure that out, since your pretty princess obviously doesn’t want my help.” 

Link glanced over his shoulder at the little girl, before he silently closed the door behind him. He quickly jogged up to Zelda who was already to Caviar. But she hadn't gotten on yet. Her shoulders were shaking and her hand was covering her mouth. Link quickened his steps, awkwardly putting his hand on her shoulder. 

She was crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and sobs racked her now fragile frame. She looked up at Link with a grief filled gaze, her hand falling away from her mouth. Link stared into her eyes, seeing only a hint of the vast reservoir that she had kept filling for the past few days. She suddenly rushed into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him as she continued to cry. 

Hesitant at first, Link wrapped his arms in return, tightening the embrace of comfort and understanding. He knew of the same torture that she had ranted about at Purah, of only having bits and pieces of little things. But to take that very same torture and magnify it with a long dead father made Zelda's suffering that much worse. 

Zelda continued to cry into Link’s shoulder, her breathing coming softer as the sobs left her body. “I'm sorry…” She mumbled.

“It… it's okay.” He replied quietly. “...Are you alright?” 

Zelda took a deep breath and pulled out of the embrace, wiping at her now red, puffy eyes. “Y-yeah…” She whispered, sniffing. “I just wish… I just wish I knew more, like maybe why he didn't want to talk to me as a father, and why he seemed so… uncomfortable when he looked at me. I want to remember.” 

“I… I'm sure the king didn't mean any harm. He might've felt guilty about seeing you here after he failed to protect you, or maybe he's so grief ridden as a spirit he doesn't realize he's hurting you by staying silent.” 

Zelda thought about that for a moment. “But why? I don't understand…” She trailed off, staring down at her feet. 

“Well, maybe this Impa lady at Kakariko will have all of the answers.” Link offered quietly, giving Zelda a small smile as he held up the map on the Sheikah Slate, which now had a new yellow, blinking dot at Kakariko Village. 

Nodding, Zelda smiled back at Link and gave him another quick hug. “Thank you.” She murmured, pulling out of the embrace and climbing onto Caviar. “But this time I’m riding in front.” She said, her familiar confidence having returned. 

Link sighed, remembering that 100 years ago, being Zelda’s knight, she could order him to do anything. “Sure.” He replied, climbing on behind Zelda. 

She nudged Caviar with her heels and they were off, trotting briskly back down the hill. Link instantly regretted letting Zelda ride in front of him. Her long, golden hair was blowing in his face, thanks to the sharp breeze that waffed around them. Silently keeping his complaints to himself, he turned his head, ignoring the thick hair that was continually slapping him in the side of his head. 

“Link…” Zelda began, brushing her hair in front of her, unaware that Link had just breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Hm?”

“Well...I uh…” Zelda cleared her throat before continuing. “That's the first time I've really gotten anything out of you.” She said, continuing when she realized Link wasn't going to say anything. “I mean… That’s the first time you’ve really ever talked to me. Why are you always so quiet? I couldn’t hold my emotions in back there… so how do you?” 

The question caught Link off guard. “I just think it's better to… not get involved.”

“Of course it's better to be involved!” Zelda argued. “Why wouldn't it?”

Link felt uncomfortable. “Well, maybe people would be better off not knowing what's in my head.” He said, feeling troubled. Was he like this 100 years ago?

Zelda thought for a moment before speaking a little quieter with a hint of sympathy. “You don’t want to burden others with your troubles. Is that it?” 

Link didn't reply. He looked away from Zelda, staring at the landscape that slowly dragged by. 

“Okay… we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.” Zelda mumbled. 

They had made it down the hill. They slowly trotted through the village, the sounds of the villagers chattering filling the void of silence between Link and Zelda. After they got out of the village and were back in the wild, Zelda spoke. 

“I'm moving on.” She said confidently. 

“What?”

Zelda glanced over her shoulder for a moment. “From my father. There's no point in grieving for someone long gone who doesn't care for me. It'll only make things worse then they already are.” 

Link kept to himself, not wanting to open up any more to Zelda. She had prodded right where Link had no desire for her to. He had actually wondered about his silence himself. He always found himself wondering what he was like 100 years ago, what Zelda was like, and how Hyrule thrived. He wanted to feel connected again. He wanted to have all of the puzzle pieces fit perfectly back together in his mind. 

To put it simply, Zelda had moved on where Link hadn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, before anyone gets confused as to why Purah was kind of a brat back there, do remember that the age-decreasing effects of her made up rune changed her attitude as well. If you read her diary (at the very tippy top of the stairs in a little room,) you can see her attitude changing through the words she uses, such as: when she starts getting younger, she calls Link "Linky" and complains about how long he's been sleeping, revealing her now child-like demeanor.


	5. Guidance

After staying a night outside by the stable, Link and Zelda were back on Caviar with some freshly cooked meat resting happily in their stomachs, thanks to one of the travelers staying at the stable when they had arrived. 

The trip to Kakariko didn't take very long; maybe only half of the day. They had just passed under a wooden gate marking the first sign of civilization when the sun reached its peak. 

They rounded another tight bend in the narrow valley until it opened up to reveal the village. 

It was embedded into the valley, surrounded by tall rounded mountains and hills. The houses scattered across the village were wooden with drooping roofs that almost touched the ground like a tent. Large willow trees thrived around the homes, as if nature was trying to eat the village. 

Zelda led Caviar down a dirt road that led them to a larger home sitting on top of a long set of wooden stairs. The dot on the Sheikah Slate told them that Impa was in there. 

As they came close to the start of the stairs, two guards took fighting positions, staring at Link and Zelda warily. Zelda jumped off of Caviar with Link following suit. 

“Who are you, and what business do you-” One of the guards began, cutting himself off when he noticed the Sheikah Slate on Zelda's hip. “Prin… princess Zelda?” 

Zelda's cheeks flushed. “Just Zelda.” She corrected. 

The guards eyes turned to Link. “And Master Link! You're awake! You're here!”

Link felt slightly embarrassed to be called “Master Link,” but only slightly. It sounded right, like if people kept calling him that a little piece of his mind would string itself together. 

“Please, excuse my rudeness. Impa is inside.” The guard instructed, pointing up the stairs to the large wooden home. Behind it were three small waterfalls, humming in a whispering way as the clear, calming waters trickled down the uneven cliff face. 

Zelda nodded at the guard, glancing at Link before starting up the stairs. After their little exchange with Purah, Link wasn't as excited to meet this Impa lady. In fact, he was almost scared. 

When they got to the top, Link noticed a young girl on her knees scrubbing the floor. She was wearing clothes similar to Purah's, but they were more modest and mature, not childish like Purah's short, poofy dress. 

“Excuse me? Are you Impa?” Zelda asked politely. 

The girl almost jumped ten feet into the air. She hastily stood, flinching as she saw Link and Zelda. “I...I'm Im-not Impa.” She fumbled, dropping the rag she was scrubbing with before in her panic. 

Zelda quickly picked up the rag for her. “That's okay. We were just wondering.” She explained, smiled comfortingly as she handed the rag back to the young woman. 

The girl gasped as she got a better look at Zelda's face. “You...You're p-p-princess Zel..Zelda!” She exclaimed, her eyes shifting to Link. She gasped again and covered her face with her hands, yet again dropping the rag. “And you're...you… you're m-master Link!” 

“Would you mind telling us your name?” Zelda asked. 

“I-I'm… I'm p-p-p-pay..pa… I mean-oh my name is Paya!” She cried, her voice shaking. She sounded like she was going to start crying.

Zelda glanced at Link worriedly. “Hi Paya. We didn't mean to disturb you.” 

Paya’s face grew as red as a fresh apple. “You dis-didn't d-d-distub-urb me.” 

“I'm glad to hear that.” Zelda said. She picked the rag up again and handed it to Paya. “Nice to meet you, Paya.” 

“Nice..to...meet...” Paya's mumbles were lost as she hastily turned and got back onto her hands and knees, scrubbing with renewed vigor. 

Again glancing at Link, Zelda turned and opened both of the double doors with one heavy shove, stepping inside. Link followed, keeping the doors open behind him. He narrowed his eyes in the dim lantern light. 

In the back of the large room, an old, small woman sight on a stack of pillows. She wore an enormous hat with chains dangling off of the sides that weighed her head down so that they couldn't see her face. Her clothes were similar in color and style to Paya's. In fact, everyone in the village they had seen so far wore the same tan, blue and red clothes. It must be their thing. 

“So… you're finally awake.” The old woman croaked. Her voice sounded used and worn out. It was the sound of crackling firewood in the rain. She lifted her head, revealing a blue symbol on her forehead. It was the same symbol that was on the back of the Sheikah Slate, with the eye and tear seeping out of it. The old woman smiled. “It's been quite a long time, has it not?” 

Zelda stepped forward. “So you’re Impa?” 

Smile growing, the woman nodded. “Why of course. Purah told me the Shrine of Resurrection would deal damage to your memories, but you remember me, don’t you?” 

“No… we don’t remember anything.” Zelda said. 

The smile faded from Impa’s face. “Ah… I see. How unfortunate.” She paused, studying their faces. “Do you know of what happened 100 years ago?” 

Zelda looked away, but she didn’t seem distraught. She fixed her gaze back on Impa. “Yes. Purah told us.” 

Link glanced at Zelda, curious as to why she lied. Maybe she had said she’d moved on from her father, but perhaps it was still hurting her deep inside. 

Impa nodded wisely. “I thought as much. Did she tell you anything else?” 

Link butted in before Zelda could say anything. “She said there were runes that she installed onto the Sheikah Slate.” Zelda gave him a questioning look, to which he replied, “You had left before she could tell both of us.” 

Zelda grabbed the Sheikah Slate from her hip. She played with it for a few moments, before coming to a screen with five boxes filled with a tiny picture for each. Impa held out her hand, obviously wanting the Slate. Zelda obeyed and placed the Sheikah Tech into the old woman’s hand. 

Impa’s eyes scanned over the Slate’s screen before she smiled. “Yes… Purah told me of these runes 100 years ago.” She said. “These two blue ones here,” she began, holding she Sheikah Slate with the screen facing Link and Zelda, pointing to two blue runes with a bony finger. “these are remote bombs. They will create either a boxed or rounded bomb, based on which one you chose, and you will be able to denote it whenever you please. This red one, Magnesis, will allow you to control metal objects, the yellow one, Stasis, lets you pause monsters or objects mid-action, and this blue one, Cryonis, here will create an ice pillar in water. This last one, a Camera, will obviously allow you to create true-to-life images, or pictures if you will. It’s quite remarkable really.” Impa explained, handing the Slate back to Zelda. “However, I must ask why Purah didn’t explain this to you two while you were there.” 

Zelda’s gaze fell, and she fidgeted with the Slate before holding it back to Impa. “Well, she also said something about the pictures on this.” She said, dodging the question completely. Impa gave her a strange look, but accepted the Sheikah Slate nonetheless. 

The old woman quietly studied the pictures, a contemplating look on her wrinkled face. A light seemed to go off in her head. “Ah! I do believe these pictures are the key to regaining your memories.” 

Zelda’s eyes widened. “What?” 

Now Impa was smiling. “My dear Princess-”

“Just Zelda is fine.” Zelda interrupted. 

“Very well… Zelda, you took these pictures 100 years ago on your travels with Link.” Impa’s gaze fell on Link. “If you revisit these locations, you may be able to recover your memories from there.” 

Link tried not to show his anticipation. At the thought of regaining his memories, he was ready to sprint to the opposite side of Hyrule. 

“I suggest going here.” Impa instructed, holding up the Sheikah Slate for Link and Zelda to see. One of the pictures filled the entire screen. It was a picture of a large stone gate with a distant snowy mountain behind it that punctured the clouds. “That gate there is the East Gate along Lanayru Road. The mountain behind it is Mount Lanayru. You should be able to find the location on your map.” 

Zelda took the Sheikah Slate from Impa’s hands, looking at the picture. Link looked over her shoulder, eager to get moving. “Thank you, Impa.” Zelda said.

“Of course.” Impa replied. “Once you regain that memory, return here. I have a gift for each of you.” 

Nodding, Zelda bid Impa farewell. Link simply held up his hand. They left the large lantern-lighted house, waving goodbye to Paya on their way down the shallow steps. The guards bowed their heads in respect as they climbed onto Caviar. One of the guards stepped forward, holding out a blade in a sheath. It was just barely longer than Link’s arm. 

“Take this with you, Master Link.” The guard said. “This is a newly crafted Eightfold Blade. I hope it fares you well.” Link took the sword, pulling it halfway out of its sheath. It certainly looked brand new. 

“Thank you.” Link said. The guard nodded and stepped back as Link nudged Caviar into a quick trot. Zelda had the Sheikah Slate out, and she directed Link out of the village with the map. 

They climbed up a small hill and through a grove of trees before galloping through another narrow canyon. Kakariko was embedded in the middle of mountains and hills, making the place secluded with only a few entrances and exits. 

Soon they broke out of the canyon and found themselves at a crossroads. A sign poked out of the ground in the grass next to them with arrows pointing down the two possible roads. Some writing was written onto the arrows, but they were too far away to read it. A young man was standing by the sign, looking at them with dark brown eyes. He was tall, pale and skinny with wild black hair that shuffled in the breeze. He regarded them with a strange glint in his eye, as if he knew something they didn’t. It set Link on edge, and he placed his hand on the hilt of his new sword. 

“Ahoy there!” The man exclaimed, waving his arm in greeting. 

Link stopped Caviar, and Zelda slid off. Link followed, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. As they approached the stranger, Link saw his eyes flick to the sword swinging in its sheath, then back to Zelda. It was fast and calculated. Instantly Link knew that this man was more than a simple traveler. 

“Hello.” Zelda smiled. They shook hands. 

The man smiled back. “What brings you two here? Not many take this road. It’s become infested with monsters.” 

“We’re trying to find this place.” Zelda said, holding up the Sheikah Slate to show the man the image that had appeared on the screen. 

The man’s brow furrowed in concentration until a light seemed to go off in his head. “Oh! Why, that’s East Gate!” 

Zelda nodded.

The man chuckled. “Oho but you’ll have to ride fast, my friend! There’s monsters everywhere along that way!” 

“Thank you for the warning.” Zelda said politely, turning away from the man.

“Wait, wait, wait!” The man stopped Zelda with a hand on her shoulder. Link’s grip tightened on his sword. “I had the strangest dream last night! Would you like to hear it?” 

Zelda turned to face the man again. The stranger took that as a sign to go on. “In my dream, I was in a strange cave of some sort.” The man held out his hands, waving them dramatically as he wove his tale. “I was lying in some sort of bed with this liquid around me, and I didn’t know where or who I was!” The man chuckled and shook his head. “Then, when I sat up, I saw another bed thing next to me, and I saw a girl lying in it, just like me! Crazy, right?”

Smiling nervously, Zelda glanced at Link worriedly. “Hah… yeah… crazy.” She said. 

The man chuckled again and placed his hand on Zelda’s shoulder once more as he looked at Link. “Doesn’t that sound familiar… hero?” The man growled, his eyes turning murderous as he suddenly lunged at Link, a burst of smoke hiding him for a second before revealing a red suited figure with a strange white mask over his face. The man swiped a vicious looking sickle at Link, who jumped back just in time. The mask over his face had a symbol that looked like the eye on the Sheikah Slate, but it was upside down and it was a deep blood red. 

Link pulled out his sword, his senses instantly on high alert. He stared at the man with complete and utter confusion, crouching into a fighting position. The man laughed, the sound muffled by his mask. “Betcha don’t remember this symbol, now do yah?” The man growled, tapping his mask with his free hand. 

“Who are you? What do you want?” Link replied, frantically searching his mind for any memories of the symbol. He didn’t find anything; only blank slots where his memories should be. 

The man took a threatening step forward, brandishing his sickle. “That’s not like you, hero, spouting out questions like some drunk tavern keeper. Before you were as silent as death.” The man lunged once again, swiping at Link with his sickle again and again as Link evaded every attack. “But don’t worry, gracious knight, I’ll make you as silent as you were 100 years ago!” 

This time the man came down from above, and Link quickly held his sword above him, stopping the attack with a sharp clang of metal against metal. 

Link threw the man off of him, glancing at Zelda who was standing off to the side next to Caviar, her face white with fear. He didn’t know who this man was or why he was out to   
kill him, but he wouldn’t let him touch Zelda. He was her knight, right?

Link clenched his free hand into a fist and came at the man, swinging his sword at the man’s shoulder. The man deflected it and came at Link on the other side with a counter attack, but Link rolled away from the sharp curved edge of the glinting sickle. Link then tried to come at the man from behind, but just as the tip of his sword barely scraped the man’s red suit, he jumped back and brought his hands together, laughing as he vanished in a puff of smoke with the weird eye design flashing in the air. 

There was a second of dead silence before Zelda suddenly gasped. “Link! Above you!” She cried. Link looked up just as the man appeared directly above him, crying out maniacally with his sickle prepared to kill. Link’s eyes widened and he dived out of the way just in time, landing on his stomach. 

The man landed onto the ground, standing as he stalked towards Link. Link got onto his back, holding up his sword in defense as the man swung down. “Once I’m finished with you,” The man snarled, hooking his sickle around Link’s sword and ripping it out of his grip, “the girl will be easy to dispatch.” 

“Wait!” Zelda shouted, catching the man’s attention. She pointed the Sheikah Slate towards him, pressing some unseen button, when the man suddenly froze with a flash of golden light, large intangible chains accompanying the flash before disappearing into thin air, as if chaining the man into a second of time. His frozen body had a thin gold outline surrounding him, that suddenly began to blink. Link instantly scrambled onto his legs and, grabbing his sword, held the blade out at the man’s frozen figure, when the gold outline flashed and shattered, disappearing altogether as the man spun to face Link once more, stumbling for a moment, obviously surprised and disoriented from whatever Zelda did to him with the Sheikah Slate. 

Taking advantage of the distraction, Link swept his leg underneath the man, tripping him before holding the tip of his sword an inch away from the attackers throat. 

“I’ll ask again.” Link said threateningly. “Who are you?” 

The man chuckled breathily, seemingly already having shaken off the affects of the strange golden outline. “The Yiga Clan will be glad to hear the hero is alive, much less awake.” 

“The Yiga Clan?” Link repeated, keeping the sword at the man’s throat as the attacker slowly stood. 

“And the princess…” The man murmured, his fingers twitching. “She’ll have the honor of seeing your blood stain the grass once more.” In the blink of an eye, the man jumped at Link with sickle in hand. In a moment of defense, Link stabbed the man in the stomach. The man instantly screamed in pain and jumped back, crying out as he dropped his sickle and brought his hands together once more. Deep red blood slowly seeped from his fresh wound. “We’ll meet again, hero,” The man wheezed, his breathing labored. “And the sweet red hue of your blood will be a marvelous sight to see.” And with that, the man was gone, the symbol of the upside down eye and tear burning in the air.

Link didn’t move for a moment. His mind was spinning. Once his breath slowed just a bit, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and bent down and wiped the blood off of his sword onto the grass and sheathed it just as Zelda ran up to him and hugged him. 

“Thank Hylia you’re okay!” She exclaimed, pulling away. The smile vanished from her face as embarrassment settled in. “I mean, I knew you would be.” 

Link flashed a small smile before spotting the sickle on the ground. He walked over to it and picked it up, lightly brushing his hand over the curved edge. “What was that that you did to him? With the Sheikah Slate, I mean.” 

Zelda looked at the Sheikah Slate that now rested on her hip. “I’m not sure… I used the yellow stasis rune, because Impa said it would freeze things mid-action, and you were about to be… you know…”

Link looked at the Slate with wonder. “But it looks like it only lasts temporarily.” 

Nodding, Zelda took the sickle from Link’s hands. “I guess we understand what that rune does now, though.” She said, smiling. 

Link glanced up at Zelda’s face with a smile before his gaze fell back onto the menacing sickle. “Who was that, then?” 

“I don’t know…” Zelda answered nervously. “but what did he mean by I’d see your blood ‘once more?’ Does that mean… I’ve.. seen it before?” 

Link narrowed his eyes at the blade. “The king did say I was gravely wounded 100 years ago.” 

Zelda looked up at Link with wide eyes. “Do you think.. you know… died?” 

“I guess so.” 

Zelda shuddered and handed the sickle back to Link, her eyes shifting to where the man had vanished. “He said something about a Yiga Clan.” She said quietly, subtly changing the subject. “Maybe that’s what that symbol was? You know, the one on his mask? Maybe it was the symbol of the Yiga Clan.”

“But what is the Yiga Clan? And why did he want to kill me?” 

Zelda looked back up at Link “Why do you expect me to know everything?” 

“You’re the princess.” 

“That was 100 years go!” 

Link rested his hand on his sword. “How does that change anything?”

“That changes everything!” Zelda exclaimed, turning away. “Besides…we don’t have our memories. How am I supposed to be a princess if I didn’t even remember my land’s name?” 

“That’s why we’re trying to find East Gate.” Link said, gesturing at the Sheikah Slate. 

“Right. Sorry. We should get going if we want to make it back to Impa before sundown.” 

Link looked up at the sun as he began walking towards Caviar. “I don’t think that’s gonna happen.” He mumbled to himself. 

Zelda sighed. Her eyes shifted then suddenly widened as a smile broke out on her face. “Hey, Link, look!” She exclaimed, rushing to something that was sparkling in the grass. She bent down excitedly, picking up the object. 

Following Zelda, Link crouched down by her, a smile appearing on his face as he saw the large red rupee sparkling cheerily in her hand. On the grass in front of her were six more red rupees, with one blue one. “This adds up to 150 rupees!” Zelda quickly picked up the rest of the rupees, holding them in her shirt. 

“They must have come from that man when he attacked me!” 

Zelda placed a hand over her heart. “Oh, how nice of that man to make such a generous donation to our cause!” 

Link chuckled. “Hopefully we run into more of these Yiga Clan guys. We need all of the rupees we can get.” 

Zelda laughed and stood. The blue rupee slipped out of her hands, but Link quickly caught it before it hit the ground. Zelda smiled and laughed with Link as they both placed the rupees in a sack that hung from Caviar’s saddle. 

As Zelda then began to climb onto Caviar, Link stopped her for just a moment. “Zelda…”

“Hm?” She replied, looking down at Link as she swung her leg over Caviar’s saddle. 

“Whatever it was that you did with the Sheikah Slate, don’t hesitate it to do it again. I would’ve been gone hadn’t you intervened.”

Zelda smiled brightly and patted the Sheikah Slate confidently. “You can count on me, mighty hero.”


	6. Chosen Path

“Watch out!” Zelda shouted, wrapping her arms and squeezing painfully around Link’s waist. Link wrapped the reigns around his wrists, straining to keep Caviar in line. The three bokoblins in front of them gurgled in painful harmony as they waved their clubs at Caviar. The poor horse was in a panic. They had just gotten onto the road to East Gate when the three monsters in the road stopped Caviar out of sheer fear. 

Link gritted his teeth and stirred Caviar with his heels, pulling the reins and forcing the horse to turn around and run the way they had come. The monsters didn’t try to chase them, thankfully. 

“How’re we going to get to East Gate if Caviar won’t ride through the monsters?” Zelda asked once Caviar had stopped galloping. 

Patting Caviar’s neck comfortingly, Link sat up and looked over his shoulder at Zelda. “We’ll just have to keep trying.” 

Zelda nodded and wrapped her arms around Link again. “Try not to buck us off again, okay Caviar?” She said, chuckling nervously. Link patted Caviar again, who nickered in response. 

Their second attempt at getting past the bokoblins was better then the first. Once the bokoblins came into view again, they roared and stood, waving their clubs with renewed vigor. Another bokoblin had joined them, now making the group the frightful foursome instead of the fearsome threesome. Caviar whinnied and began rearing, whacking the closest bokoblin straight into its disgusting snout. The monster flew back at least five feet, knocking into one of its companions. 

“Yes Caviar!” Zelda exclaimed. Link quickly got control of Caviar once again, and they galloped away from the two remaining monsters. 

Apparently, Caviar was not going to stop again. They ran into at least three more monster camps, but Caviar galloped straight through them, stepping on some of them in the process. Soon, they broke out of the road with the gate looming in front of them. The snowy peak of Mount Lanayru seemed almost like a painting behind the gate, framed by white fluffy clouds and the misty gray sky. 

Zelda slid off of Caviar, looking up at the gate in wonder. Link whispered some calming words to Caviar before sliding off as well, looking around at their surroundings. Something about this place was oddly familiar… especially Mount Lanayru. 

“This is the place, isn’t it.” Zelda said quietly, almost reverently. 

Link stepped up beside her, nodding in agreement. 

Zelda grabbed the Sheikah Slate from her waist, pulling up the picture and holding it in front of the gate and the mountain. The pictures matched almost perfectly. “Yep. We’re here.” 

“I don’t feel anything.” Link remarked. 

“But it’s familiar.” Zelda pointed out. She suddenly gasped, her eyes wide. “W-wait…” She mumbled, holding her head in one hand. 

“Zelda?” Link hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. He looked over at the gate again when something clicked inside his head, and he was lost in a memory. 

 

Link tried not to show his despair, but it was kind of hard not to. If Zelda couldn’t awaken her supposed sealing power on Mount Lanayru at the Spring of Wisdom, the last of the springs, then what else could they do? At the moment, it seemed as if all of their travels was simply for nothing. 

Zelda walked beside him, the white of her ceremonial dress making her look as if she were glowing in the sun. Her golden hair was still slightly damp from standing in the spring, and her face was cold and pale from trekking up and down the frigid slopes of Mount Lanayru. 

The other champions stood a ways down the road, watching Link and Zelda with masked faces, trying not to show their hope and anticipation. Once Link and Zelda reached them, Daruk was the first to break his mask. 

“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense. How’d everything go up there on the mountain?”

Zelda sadly shook her head, and the champion’s faces crumbled. 

“So you didn’t feel anything? No power at all?” Revali asked.

Zelda looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry, no.” She answered, clasping her hands out in front of her. She looked so small and fragile. 

Urbosa took one look at Zelda before speaking up. “Then let’s move on.” She said, her voice calm and reassuring. “You’ve done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won’t be of any help. After all, it’s not like your last shot was up there on Mt. Lanayru. Anything could finally spark the power to seal Ganon away. We just have to keep looking for that… thing.” 

“That’s kind of you.” Zelda murmured, still keeping her eyes to her feet. 

“If I may…” Mipha began, taking a small step forward. Zelda looked up. “I thought you… Well, I’m not sure how to put this into words… I’m actually quite embarrassed to say it. But I was thinking about what I do when I’m healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind… It helps when I think-when I think about-”

A loud rumble suddenly shook the ground, causing the champions to stumble and struggle to stay balanced. Link instantly reached out to help Zelda stay standing, while Revali took the initiative and flew up to see over the mountains that blocked their view of the castle. 

A loud roar echoed through the mountains, piercing everyone’s ears as thunder and lightning crackled in the distance. Link’s heart sank. He knew what was happening even before Revali came back down. 

“It’s here.” Urbosa said. 

“This is it then…” Daruk rumbled. 

“Are you sure?” Mipha asked softly. 

“Positive.” Revali answered. 

“It’s awake. Ganon.” Zelda said quietly. 

The five champions and the princess all stared up at the sky in the direction of the castle where black and pink smoke swirled just over the mountain peak. Lighting continued to ark through the smoke and fog, cackling maniacally. 

Daruk then turned towards the champions, his face serious and determined. This is what they had been training for. “Let’s stop wasting time! We’re gonna need everything we got to take that thing down. Now Champions! To your Divine Beasts! Show that swirling swine who’s boss! Link will need to meet Ganon head on when we attack! This needs to be a unified assault.” Daruk looked directly at Link. “Little guy! You get to Hyrule Castle.” 

Link pushed aside his fear and nodded. He would not back down. Everyone was counting on him. He was the one who wielded the Master Sword, the sword that rested on his back, after all. 

“You can count on us for support.” Daruk continued, “But it’s up to you to pound Ganon into oblivion!” He said, holding up his fist with a large smile. 

Urbosa went up to Zelda, who was still staring up at where the thunder and lightning emanated, and lightly placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Come. We should go. We need to get you somewhere safe.” She said. 

Zelda clenched her fists and spun out of Urbosa’s hands, her eyes fierce. “No! I am not a child anymore! I may not be much use on the battlefield… But there must… There must be something I can do to help!” She cried, her green eyes wide and filled with a burning flame that seemed just as powerful as the black and pink smoke that continued to spread throughout the clouds sky like some sick virus. 

 

Link’s eyes shot open as he was jolted back to reality. Zelda was standing right next to him, the Sheikah Slate slipping out of her weak hands. Her eyes were wide, devoid of the burning flame that they had had 100 years ago. 

“That was…that was a memory…”

Link didn’t say anything. He subconsciously reached behind him to feel the Master Sword. It wasn’t there. He looked down at his shirt that was two sizes too small. In the memory he was wearing a blue tunic… the same blue that the Champion’s all wore. The Champions… who were they? Daruk, Revali, Urbosa… Mipha. 

“And that smoke… the thunder and lightning…” Zelda began, her voice sounding far away and hollow. “...That was Ganon! And the Champions…” She took a shaky breath and looked at Link. “They’re gone… they died in the attack.” 

Link felt torn. He felt as if the memory had only made things worse for him. He vividly remembered the fear that had gnawed in his stomach when the first roar from Ganon shook the ground. He also remembered his sheer determination and sense of duty, but there was something else there too.. a sense to protect someone.. but who? His family? Did he even have a family? 

“Link… are you okay?” Zelda asked softly. 

Again reaching behind him and feeling for a sword that was not there, Link looked at Zelda. He was her knight. The memory confirmed that. He brought his hand down, pushing away the turbulence in his head. He would not look weak. “Let’s get back to Impa.” He said, stepping past Zelda and walking to Caviar. Zelda looked after him with a worried look before bending down and picking up the Sheikah Slate. She looked down at it for a moment before looking again at the gate and the mountain. 

Finally, she sighed and, clasping the Slate back onto her hip, walked to Caviar and climbed up with Link’s help. Link jumped up in front of her, taking the reigns and stirring Caviar into a gallop. He didn’t want to stay the night out in the wilderness after what he’d seen. Besides, he wanted answers, and Impa seemed to be the type of person who would be willing to give him just that. 

 

The monsters never stood a chance. Caviar plowed right through them on their way back to Impa, never slowing down. The ride was quick and silent. Link had no intentions to strike up a conversation with Zelda, and if Zelda had tried, he wouldn’t have heard it through the roaring wind. 

By the time they got back to Kakariko Village, the sun had just slipped behind the tall mountains and hills around them. They had made it to the village before sundown, thanks to Caviar. 

Link led Caviar to the front of the long wooden staircase once more, slipping off right as one of the guards walked up to them. 

“Master Link, I trust your journey went well?” The guard asked. 

Link nodded. “Your gift was useful. Thank you.” 

The guard smiled. “I’m glad.” He said, his eyes shifting to Zelda sliding off of Caviar. His eyes widened and he walked over to Caviar’s saddle, pulling the Yiga’s sickle out of the leather strap. “Were you attacked?” He asked, staring at the sickle with disgusted eyes.

“By a red suited man who pretended to be a traveler.” Zelda answered, looking at the man with confused concern. “He said he was a part of the… Yiga clan?” 

The guard’s grip tightened on the weapon. “Yes… The Yiga Clan…” He growled. He took a breath and slipped the sickle back through the strap, his hands clenched at his side. “They are a ruthless group of foul traitors who only wish for the demise of the hero and the return of Ganon.” 

Zelda glanced at Link. He didn’t make eye contact. The same sick fear that he felt 100 years ago during Ganon’s return was resurfacing. 

The guard sighed. “My apologies. I shouldn’t trouble you with such words, but… be careful.” He began to walk away, but Zelda stopped him. 

“I never caught your name.” She said with a small smile. 

“Dorian.” The guard answered. “Impa is waiting.” He added, walking towards the wooden staircase. Link and Zelda followed, continuing up the stairs as Dorian stopped at his post. 

Link pushed the doors open for him and Zelda, waiting for Zelda to walk in before following behind. Impa was sitting exactly where she was before, lifting her head at the sound of the doors closing behind them. She gave them a crooked smile. 

“It seems you two have seen your first memories. And now that you remember certain things… I will hand these gifts back to you before I forget.” She said. Paya then walked down the stairs, holding two folded pairs of clothes. Link felt his stomach twist into a knot as he recognized the stunning blue in one of the piles. Paya handed the clothes to both Link and Zelda respectively before stepping back and hiding her face with an almost inaudible whimper. 

Link unfolded the blue tunic in his hands, staring at the white designs around the neck and seams. He also had a pair of trousers that looked long enough to actually fit him, unlike the old rags he wore now. Along with the tunic and pants, Paya had also given him a pair of brown boots. 

In Zelda’s hands was a simple sleeveless white gown with a gold belt. These were the clothes that they were wearing when Ganon awoke and attacked. 

Impa studied Link and Zelda’s faces before talking. “These clothes you now hold were the clothes you wore when-”

“When Ganon awoke.” Zelda finished for her, staring down at the white gown with a similar look that Dorian had given the Yiga’s sickle. 

Impa nodded. “Yes. They were the clothes you had on before we placed you in the Shrine of Resurrection. We wanted to keep them safe for you for when you both awoke.”

Zelda closed her eyes for a moment, as if she were recollecting herself before she opened them and walked to Paya, giving the dress back to her. “Thank you, Impa, really. The gift is… greatly appreciated, but I don’t want to see the same dress someone else wore 100 years ago.” 

“Whatever you wish.” Impa replied, giving Zelda a sideways glance before turning her attention to Link. “And what about you?” 

Link simply held the tunic closer to his chest, giving the only answer needed. 

Impa nodded again. “Very well.” She paused. “My dear Zelda, I at least wish to give you some new clothes.” 

“Oh, it’s okay, Impa. Really, these clothes-”

“Are not suitable for a princess whether you like it or not. They’ll fall apart once you get on with your travels.” 

And with that, just half an hour later, Zelda was wearing some new tan trousers and a red tunic that they had found at the clothes shop. The outfit was free, thanks to Impa. Link was also now wearing his Champion’s tunic, feeling perfectly at home with the breathable blue fabric. It was complete bliss compared to the old scratchy clothes he had been wearing before. Now they were back in Impa’s home, waiting while she tinkered with the Sheikah Slate. 

“The only way to defeat Ganon is to cleanse the Divine Beasts of his control. I’m placing marks down on your Sheikah Slate at the four locations where the Beasts lay.” She handed the Slate back to Zelda. “I suggest going to Zora’s Domain first. It’s the closest from here.” Impa explained. 

Zelda smiled and nodded. “Thank you. But how do we cleanse them?”

“The only way to truly gain the Divine Beasts loyalty, you must use your sealing power, Zelda, and banish the corruption for the Beasts.” 

“My sealing power?” Zelda repeated. “But I don’t…” She trailed off. 

“You remember your struggles at Mount Lanayru. Soon your other labors will come back to you. But you will also remember your success, and you will know how to use the sacred gift that is your birthright.” Impa said. 

Zelda sighed. “Thank you for the clothes, Impa. But we should get going now.” Without wasting a second, Zelda turned and marched out of the house, leaving Link and Impa alone. Link began to turn to follow her, but Impa stopped him. 

“Wait.” The old woman croaked, her hand hovering in the air as if she were about to grip his shoulder. “In the memory that you saw, did you perhaps see a sword on your back?” 

The image of the Master Sword flashed in Link’s mind. He nodded. 

Impa’s hand fell back down to her side. “That sword can only be wielded by the chosen hero. After you fell 100 years ago, the Princess took the sword to the center of the Korok Forest, where she lay it to rest. Before you face Ganon, seek out the Great Deku Tree and find the Master Sword.” 

Link nodded again. His hand was resting on the sword that Dorian, the guard, had given him. Before it had felt just right, but now it felt awkward and flimsy. “Thank you.” Link said, turning on his heel, but before he could leave, Impa told him one last thing. 

“Link,” she began, her old voice carrying across the room. “Take care of the princess. She doesn’t want to look back on her past, but she must in order to conquer the present.” 

Link hesitated for a moment before nodding weakly and walking out of the house.

When Link reached the end of the stairs, Zelda was already on Caviar, and Dorian was handing her a fabric bag that bulged from what it contained. 

“The food here will sustain the both of you for two, maybe three days. Hopefully you’ll be able to get to Zora’s Domain in that time.” Dorian said as Zelda clasped the bag onto Caviar’s saddle. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night?” 

“I’m sure.” Zelda answered. “But thank you, again…for everything.” She added politely. 

“Of course.” Dorian replied. Link climbed up onto Caviar in front of Zelda. “Safe travels.” Dorian waved them off as Link stirred Caviar into a trot. And in just a few short moments, they were out of the village and back in the familiar canyon that they had rode through to get to Kakariko in the first place. 

“Link…” Zelda began, and Link had to stop himself from sighing. He didn’t want to talk. He only wanted to get to Zora’s Domain. “You’ve been awfully quiet ever since that memory we saw. Something on your mind?” 

The moonlight just barely illuminated the path before them, and Link had to focus to keep Caviar on the road, making his response sound hollow and unattached. “We should see if we can get any more memories on our way.” He replied.

Zelda stayed quiet for a moment. Then, she held the Sheikah Slate in front of Link for him to see. “Well, there’s this one. It looks like it’s near a large bridge that stretches over Lake Hylia.” 

Link slowed Caviar to a stop, taking the Slate into his hands, studying the picture. It had a large leafy tree with two statues huddled underneath it. In the background was a large distant bridge spanning the length of a lake. He handed the Slate back to Zelda and nudged Caviar back into a trot. 

“But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.” Zelda said pointedly, trying to urge Link into saying anything. When he stayed silent, Zelda let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t get you.” She huffed. “One second you’re joking around about rupees, and then when something of minor inconvenience happens, you close right back up.” 

I don’t want to talk about this right now. Link thought. He stayed silent, which felt almost unbearably familiar. How often did he ignore Zelda 100 years ago? Based on the memory he had seen, he was and always had been as silent as ever. So, he would stay that way. He had a duty to the land of Hyrule and to his kingdom, even if it was in shambles. He failed 100 years ago, and he was determined not to fail again. 

He heard Zelda take a breath to keep talking, but no words came. He heard her sigh and that was the last of it. 

 

All throughout the night, Link and Zelda rode past the Dueling Peaks stable and through the two mountains themselves, shared a quick small midnight snack while riding on Caviar, and steered off of the road towards the memory’s location. Soon the grass underneath them turned into mud, which then gradually changed into shallow water. 

To say that the view before them was devastating was an understatement. The bright moon had just broke through the clouds, reflecting off of the murky waters that shifted lazily through wooden ruins of a small village. A chill seemed to seep through the air, making Link shudder as he gazed at the broken beams and roofs of the homes that once held a story of their own. This was the result of the Calamity. Link quickly snapped the reigns, keeping Caviar at a gallop until they were out of the ruins. They climbed a short hill until the large tree came into view with the two small statues from the picture sitting underneath it. 

“We’re here already?” Zelda asked, amazed. She slid off of Caviar and walked to the statues, bending down and brushing her hand over the top of them. Link knew that she was ignoring the jarring sight of the ruined village that they had just rode through. 

Link jumped down from Caviar and looked around the place. He pushed his thoughts about the ruins back from the forefront of his mind and focused on recalling any memory   
that sparked. He was almost scared to see his next memory. But, he was still as eager as he was before. 

Zelda stood up from the statues and took a step towards the tree, looking up at its intricate web of branches and leaves. She sat down on a rock near the statues, looking over at Link. “Is this familiar to you?” She asked. 

Link glanced over the tree and the statues, focusing on where Zelda was sitting. That was definitely familiar. He had definitely been here befor-

 

“I doubt this will let up anytime soon…” Zelda mumbled, looking up at the murky storm clouds. She was sitting on a rock underneath the tree to keep dry from the rain. 

Maybe princesses didn’t like to get wet, but Link didn’t mind. He had grudgingly stopped their travels when the first of the rainfall occurred, deciding that the best way to spend his time was to train. So, that’s what he did, swinging his sword and stabbing with surprising vigor, as if he were attacking something more than air. 

Zelda watched him with mild interest. “Your path seems to mirror your father’s.” She said. “You’ve dedicated yourself to becoming a knight, as well. Your commitment to the training necessary to fulfill your goal is really quite admirable.” 

Link paused his routine, glancing over his shoulder at Zelda. He had a feeling that she was trying to say something more than compliments. 

“I see now why you would be the chosen one.” She gave him a small smile before looking away with sad eyes. “What if… One day… You realized that you just weren’t meant to be a fighter.” 

Turning to face Zelda, Link lowered his sword. He was used to hearing strange things come out of the princess’s mouth, but this was different. 

“Yet the only thing people ever said… was that you were born into a family of the royal guard, and so no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight. If that was the only thing that you were ever told… I wonder, then… would you have chosen a different path?” 

 

Link gasped, his eyes shooting open as the foggy images of rainfall slowly faded from his mind’s eye. Zelda was staring at him, her eyes telling him that she remembered the storm as well. Her gaze fell to the ground, her eyes searching for answers. 

“Let’s go.” Link said plainly, taking a breath to calm his racing heart. 

Zelda’s head shot up. “Already?” She asked. 

Link nodded and walked back to Caviar. He climbed on, looking over at Zelda who was still sitting on the rock. 

“I just need time to think.” She said, finally standing. “I don’t understand what I meant…” She muttered. 

Link held out his hand, ready to help Zelda get onto Caviar. Zelda eyed the hand with a closed off expression. She walked towards Caviar and accepted the hand, climbing into the saddle. They both took one last look at the two statues and the large tree before Link led Caviar back down the hill and through the drowned ruins of past lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, quick note, I just want to mention how blown away I am from the attention this fic has been getting. It's INSANE! I can’t believe people actually like to read my stuff haha :P So thank you thank you thank you sooo much to everyone who's spent some of their time reading my work :) I hope I continue entertaining y'all!
> 
> Happy reading!


	7. Silent Knight

The day had begun, and Link and Zelda were already close to the next memory location. It was inside a grove of white trees that contrasted dramatically against the blue lake next to it. 

Zelda was staring down at the Sheikah Slate, looking for where the exact location was. Link gently led Caviar through the trees, weaving around tight turns and narrow gaps through the winding grove. 

"There!" Zelda exclaimed, pointing to a slanted rock that pointed to the lake. "Its right around here." She said, more to herself then to anyone. 

Link obediently stopped Caviar and jumped off, helping Zelda out of the saddle. She looked out towards the lake, not taking a single step towards the large slanted boulder. 

Ignoring Zelda's eyes on his back, Link walked towards the rock, waiting for the familiar weightless feeling to sweep him into a memory. Hearing soft footsteps behind him, he knew that Zelda was standing beside him.

"These places all feel the same. They feel familiar, in a nostalgic way, but they feel disconnected and alien… it's almost like I'm seeing someone else's past life, not mine.” Zelda said quietly. 

Link kept his eyes forward, refusing to meet those large green eyes of the princess. He could feel them staring at him now, filled with hurt and confusion. He knew she wanted him to talk to her, but he couldn't. His loyalty was to the kingdom of Hyrule, and just like in the memories he's collected so far, he wouldn't speak. 

Zelda sighed, the sound almost becoming as recurring as breathing. She wandered over to one of the trees, resting against it as she took a shaky breath. "Wait… I think..." She muttered, leaning against the tree. Link instantly turned to look at her, but when he tried to take a step forward, his mind hit a switch, and like a light going out, his vision faded as the past engulfed his senses. 

 

Princess Zelda walked at least five feet ahead, staring down at the Sheikah Slate as the two walked the shore of the lake. Link was careful to keep his distance from the princess, who had made it quite clear that he wasn't to interfere with her "thinking." Link thought more of it as "rambling" or "monologuing." But of course, he would never tell her that. 

"From here we'll make our way to Goron City. Then, we'll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so Daruk can manage it as easily as possible." Zelda informed. Link wasn't sure if she was talking to him or not. "He's figured out how to get it to move…" She continued. "However, it's apparent that we still have much more to learn." Her tone shifted slightly, her voice oozing with excitement. "But to think… that Divine Beast was actually built by people… That means we should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage." She lowered the Slate, looking onward with what Link pictured a wide eyed expression of wonder. "These Divine Beasts… so much we don't know… but if we want to turn back the Calamity Ganon, they're our best hope." She suddenly slowed her quick gait, standing still as the Slate dangled in her lowered hand. 

Link stopped a good distant away from her, worried that something might be wrong with his charge. 

Zelda lowered her head slightly. "Tell me the truth…" She began, turning her head over her shoulder. Her green eyes were sorrowful and perhaps even… guilty? "How proficient are you, wielding that sword on your back? Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you hear it yet… hero?" 

 

The last words of Zelda's soft spoken voice echoed in his head like far off bells, making his heart pound. His memory was a jangled up mess of puzzle pieces, and now the outside edges were finally getting placed together. Something was wrong with Zelda 100 years back. Something was on her mind… about him. He looked over at Zelda, who was leaning against the tree with a stunned expression. Link had a feeling that more puzzle pieces had been put together in her mind more than in his. 

"Did you ever hear that voice?" Zelda asked, pushing herself off of the tree. 

Link shifted uncomfortably. He barely remembered the feel of the Master Sword in his hand, let alone hearing any voices. He shook his head and turned away from the princess, feeling slightly jealous. He wanted his sword back. He wanted his past back. He wanted everyone to be back. 

 

They stopped by another stable along the road. It was right next to a river, the constant sound of the gushing waters becoming a comforting hum as Link and Zelda shared a short meal in the shelter of the stable. However, it felt as if they were eating in separate worlds. Ever since that first memory, a wall had been hastily constructed between the two, and even though the holes at eye level allowed for brief communication, the exchanges were often short and muffled. 

Despite this, they both had a common goal, and so Zelda had the Sheikah Slate on the table with the gallery of pictures shimmering on the screen. 

"I don't recognize any of these places on the map. I don't know if any of them are along the way to Zora's Domain." Zelda huffed. 

Link looked up from the Slate, eyeing the man that stood behind the counter. They made eye contact for a moment, and the man hastily looked down, pretending to be cleaning the counter with his sleeve. "Maybe he can help." Link suggested, nodding his head towards the stable man. 

Zelda nodded in agreement and stood, walking towards the counter with Link in tow. "Excuse me, sir? I was hoping you could help me with something." Zelda began politely, setting the Sheikah Slate onto the counter. She showed the man the pictures. "Can you tell me if any of these pictures are of locations that are nearby?"

The man eyed the Slate with bewilderment. He studied the pictures for a moment before nodding. "Yes, yes, that one there." He pointed to a simple picture of a forest with dense trees. "It's just northeast of here, along the river." For the first time, the man looked up, his eyes widening as he looked over Zelda. "Wait-wait you look like someone my grandfather told me about.." the man spoke softly, as if he'd seen a legend come to life. "You aren't… Princess Zelda, are you? I-I thought she was just a legend, but you've got the golden hair and emerald eyes and-"

"Thank you for helping us." Link cut into the man's rant, taking the Sheikah Slate off of the counter and handing it to Zelda. "We better be off now." He walked away from the counter and out of the stable. Zelda quickly followed after him. She gave Link a smile and a strange look. 

Link glanced right back at her. "What?" He asked. 

Zelda shrugged. "Nothing… just why did you feel the urge to do that?" 

"I meant what I said. We need to get going. I want to see more… I mean.. I want to get to Zora's Domain." He fumbled. He shook his head and increased his speed to fetch Caviar from the feeding trough. He led the horse back to where Zelda stood, who still had that strange smile on her face. Link only glanced at it once more before ignoring it all together and helping Zelda climb onto Caviar before getting on himself. 

The ride to the forest was uneventful and quiet. It was beginning to become the norm now for the two. They continued going straight when the road turned, riding through the thin bladed grass and by the clear waters of the river. 

Soon they entered the forest from the picture, and a similar chill from the flooded ruins entered the air. Link felt Zelda shiver behind him, and Caviar slowed to a cautious trot. They slowly moved through the small forest, sticking to an overgrown path. Link felt dizzy looking around the trees, and he had a sudden wave of deja vu wash over him. He stopped Caviar, instantly sliding off. Caviar snorted softly as Zelda followed suit. The forest was deathly silent, with no chirping birds or chittering squirrels to shatter the silence. It was still, and the air was fragile and tense. 

“I have a feeling that we aren’t gonna enjoy this memory.” Zelda whispered. She walked to the center of the path. Link followed her, silently agreeing. The feel of this place was solemn, unlike the other places where they had gotten their other memories. Zelda sighed and put a hand to her head. “I feel lightheaded.” She mumbled. Link reached out and   
gripped her shoulders as she stumbled.

“Zelda!” He exclaimed, bending down to see her eyes as her head had fallen limp. She sagged in his arms, but he suddenly couldn’t feel her shoulders. His vision instantly faded as once again, he was taken to the past. 

 

This is all wrong! Link thought to himself, pulling Zelda behind them as they sprinted along the soggy path. The rain was falling relentlessly, making it hard for the Guardians to find them. They should count themselves lucky for that, but it only made Link more miserable. He was trying his best not to become overwhelmed with emotion, and so he focused on his feet slapping onto the ground and the princess who dragged behind him. 

They had failed, completely and utterly. Link’s body screamed at him, with every step sending a shock of pain through him. When they had gotten to the castle, no Divine Beasts came to aid them. The Champions were dead. Castle Town was already overrun with Guardians, and no Hylian Soldiers were seen alive. They were too late. They were too weak. They were unprepared, which seemed ironic to Link. They had spent their entire lives training for the very moment Ganon showed its cursed rotten face, but even then they were still overpowered. 

All of this ran through Link’s head just when the soft hand of the Princess slipped out of his grip. He spun around, his heart beating frantically. Who knew what was pursuing them at this very moment? They didn’t have time for this! 

“How…” Zelda whispered breathlessly. She was kneeling with her hands in fists on the ground in front of her, her ceremonial white dress black with grime, mud, soot and ash. Her usual shining golden hair was tainted from the effects of their hastened dash from the castle. 

Link jogged back to Zelda, ready to pull her up, but he stopped when she continued talking. He silently slipped the Master Sword back into its sheath on his back. He couldn’t force her to run while she was like this. 

“How did it come to this?” She continued, her head hanging in exhaustion and grief. 

Politely, Link knelt down so that he was level with the Princess. 

“The Divine Beasts… The Guardians… They’ve all turned against us…” She took a long labored breath. “It was… Calamity Ganon. It turned them all against us!” She cried, her fists tightening until her knuckles were white. She slowly raised her head. Tears were gathering at the corners of her large green eyes. “And everyone-Mipha, Urbosa, Revali and Daruk…” 

Link’s heart throbbed painfully at the mention of the Champions. They had risked everything when they donned the unifying blue, and that risk had taken their lives. 

“They’re all trapped inside those things…” Her voice was a weak whisper; barely audible. “It’s all my fault!” She cried out, covering her face with her hands as the tears tipped over onto her dirty cheeks. “Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost all because I couldn’t harness this cursed power! Everything-everything I’ve done up until now… It was all for nothing…” She gasped, choking on her tears that were down streaming. Her hands fell from her face. “So I really am just a failure!” She shouted, her voice instantly lowering into a hushed tone that spoke volumes. “All my friends… the entire kingdom… my father most of all… I tried, and I failed them all…” Link and Zelda’s eyes met as her voice almost gave way. “I’ve left them… all to die.” She said, clenching her teeth before crying out and falling into Link’s arms. 

Link caught her, holding her gently as her fragile frame shook with every cry. He didn’t know what to say, and so he said nothing. No words were needed. He let her cry, he let her wash out all of the torment in her. He knew that he was risking their escape from the Guardians, but he knew that this is what Zelda needed. 

He was the only thing Zelda had left. And he swore on his life that he would not let anything happen to the Princess. He would take her to Fort Hateno and have her travel to Hateno Village while he held the Guardians back. He would not let the corrupted machines past the gate, even if it cost him his life. 

 

When Link came to, he was shocked to find the Princess in his arms. They were both kneeling in the same place that they had 100 years prior. Zelda gasped and her head shot up, and they stared at each other for a moment. Link’s breath caught in his throat, and he was afraid that he would stay there forever, kneeling in the dirt. Zelda’s eyes were moist, and she hastily wiped at them, but it was no use. A tear managed to slip past her efforts, but before she could get to it, Link wiped it away. She stared at him, stunned. 

“I…” Link started, his throat closing up. “I’m sorry.” He finished.

Zelda sniffed and looked away. “So that’s how this all happened.” She muttered, a hint of anger tainting her voice. “I failed to unlock my sealing power, and because of it, everyone died.” She let out a breathy laugh. “It’s my fault we lost our memories, it’s my fault the kingdom is in shambles, and it’s my fault that everyone’s gone!” She suddenly stood, her hands shaking in sudden anger. 

Link looked up at her and stood. “It wasn’t only your fault. If we were both put into the Shrine of Resurrection, then that must mean that I failed to protect you.” 

Zelda glared at Link fiercely. “Don’t try to take any of the blame, and don’t try to comfort me either. You were silent back then and you’re silent now too. If I have to be in tears to get you to talk to me, then I don’t want you to at all.” She growled. 

“Zelda, I-”

“You what? What, oh courageous hero?” 

“I was wrong!” Link shouted, silencing Zelda. She stared at him with wide eyes, taking a step back in surprise. Link sighed. “I was wrong about me, and I was wrong about you.” He said quietly, lowering his voice to it’s normal volume. “I don’t know why I was so closed up back then, but I’ve got only bits and pieces that won’t fit together. So I’m sorry if I’m a little on the quiet side.” He snapped. 

“But you started opening up to me before we saw the first memory. After that you stopped talking to me.” Zelda said. 

“I thought that the only way that I… or we could succeed, was if we followed what we did 100 years ago. I saw that I didn’t talk, so I thought-I thought I had to…” 

“Be silent now.” Zelda finished for him. Link sighed again and looked down at his feet. He was a fool. A sorry excuse for an appointed knight. “But we failed 100 years ago.” Zelda began, putting her hands on Link’s shoulders. Link looked up. “If we try to follow in our past selves footsteps, we’ll only fail again. When my father revealed himself, I was stubborn and I shut out my past completely. But, no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t avoid my past when we have literally been reliving it. So, instead of ignoring or forcing ourselves to copy our past mistakes, we have to learn from them, and then let them go.” 

Link searched Zelda’s large green eyes, finding comfort and understanding. He finally understood his feelings about her. He not only felt a strong sense of protection over the Princess, but there was something else there too. “Thank you.” He said. Zelda let go of his shoulders, giving him a small smile. Link returned the expression with one of his own. “I’ve been stubborn, haven’t I.” He laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

Zelda laughed softly. “I forgive you.” She said. “But don’t you dare ignore me anymore. Riding behind you is boring enough as it is.” 

Silence soon muffled out their conversation, and the same chill from before swept around them. Link looked up into the cloudy sky, remembering the steady rainfall that had drenched his clothes. He looked at Zelda, who had also been looking at the sky. Their eyes met, and Zelda quickly looked away. 

“Are you okay?” Link asked. 

Zelda sighed. “I just wish that things were different.” She said, disheartened. “Even if we decide to move on from our past, that doesn’t keep it from hurting.” She sucked in another shaky breath. “I want to know more about the champions. I want to know more about Mipha, Revali, Urbosa, and Daruk…” 

“I do too.” Link agreed. “And we can start by heading to Zora’s Domain.” He said, giving Zelda a comforting smile. “Mipha’s waiting for us to free her Divine Beast. We’ve taken a look into our past, and now it’s time to let it go and push forward.”

Zelda pursed her lips for a moment before suddenly rushing into Link’s arms. She buried her face into the embrace, quietly crying. Link hesitantly wrapped his arms around Zelda, squeezing her tightly in return. 

They stood there for a long while, neither of them saying a word, just as a light rain began to sprinkle down from the misty sky. 

***

“Link, this isn’t a good idea. We should stay on the road.” Zelda stated, worriedly looking down at the map on the Sheikah Slate. 

Link glanced over his shoulder while leading Caviar into a shallow swamp. “This way’s faster.” He argued. “That bird guy at that other stable told us it was. He specifically said, ‘If you make a sharp turn into the Lanayru Wetlands and cut through them, you’ll reach Inogo Bridge by nightfall.’” Link recited in a poor impersonation. 

“You do realize that this ‘bird guy’ had a name?” Zelda asked. When Link didn’t say anything, she flatly reminded him. “His name was Kass, Link.” She then sighed pleasantly. “And what a charming voice he had. He played the accordian beautifully.” 

Link nodded in agreement. “He told a strange story though.” 

“What? About the 10,000 year old legend?” Zelda laughed. “After what we’ve been through with hallucinating memories, fighting off pig monsters and hearing a bird sing while playing an accordian, it didn’t sound too weird to me.” 

Link shrugged in response as he led Caviar onto a hastily made bridge over the shallow water. They winded between small shallow islands and across more bridges, until a strange rumbling sound made Caviar whinny nervously. He hesitated to continue, but Link urged him onto a larger island. As they continued across the island, the rumbling grew louder until Link recognized it as snoring. And if anything was snoring loud enough to make it sound like an earthquake, then it couldn’t be good. 

“What’s making that noise?” Zelda whispered. 

Link placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything. “Probably the reason why we should’ve stayed on the road.” Link whispered back. 

Zelda gulped and held onto Link tighter as they neared whatever was snoring as loud as thunder. 

When they passed through a thin line of trees, the massive… thing before them was enough to make them both gasp and stare. Lying on the ground in a relaxed way, was a giant monster the size of the houses in Hateno Village. It had grotesquely scarred blue skin with a fat stomach that it would occasionally scratch with its large unproportionate three fingered hands. It’s legs were short and stout, much like a bokoblins, with three toes and disgustingly large toenails that looked like armor. The only things covering it’s hideous body was a thin grime covered loin cloth, a shredded vest that barely looked like any piece of clothing, a gold band around it’s arm, a necklace with dangling weapons, and a wooden piece of armor around one of it’s legs. It’s ears were floppy and larger than it’s head, and when Link looked closer he realized that the thing only had one eye that was the size of his entire body if he curled into a ball. To finish the nasty creature off, it had a snout that looked like a boulder had smashed into it, and two small tusks that still looked formidable. 

Scattered around the monster, sticking out of the dirt like saplings, were arrows. Most of them were broken or damaged, but most of them seemed fresh. A broken bow lay off to one side of the monster’s lanky arms. Link didn’t want to know what happened to the person who had used that bow. 

Link stared at the monster, scanning over it’s scarred and disgusting body before taking a closer look at the gleaming weapons around its neck. There was a golden bow and sword along with a gray metal shield. As quietly as possible, Link slowly got off of Caviar, drawing his sword while wincing at the scraping sound it made. Zelda instantly grabbed his shoulder, turning him around with surprising force. 

“What are you doing?” She hissed. 

Link shrugged her hand off. “I’m just going to nab those weapons around its neck.” He whispered. 

Zelda looked over at the monster, and Link instantly began to make his way to the huge mangled beast. In truth, getting those weapons wasn’t the only reason why Link was creeping towards the sleeping monster. I just need to get close enough before-

SNAP!

Link froze, looking down with dread at the snapped twig underneath his foot. Of all the dumb mistakes to make! He thought to himself, just as the monster snorted and moved. It’s large eye opened, making a disgusting slick sound as it did. It’s eye was bright yellow with a blue iris and a black pupil like a snakes. It shifted around before it narrowed in on Link. The monster snorted and rumbled, bringing itself to its feet with surprising agility. It opened its mouth, a purple tongue flopping out over its chin. Its hands raised as if it were about to reach down and grab Link, and all was still for just a moment. 

The moment didn’t last long. The monster gave a gurgle-like roar, bringing it’s hand down on Link. Link gasped and sprinted out of the way just as the hand crashed down onto the ground with a deafening slap. As the monster sluggishly raised it’s hand back up and shook it in pain, Link turned and dashed underneath, almost passing out from the horrible stench that hit him like a wave. With a grunt, he swung his sword at the monster’s leg, making a large gash in the dark gritty flesh. The monster cried out in pain, stomping around in confusion. Link scrambled around the large feet of the monster, almost getting crushed multiple times. 

Getting out from under the monster, Link spun around to find that the monster was staring down at Link with a new hunger in its eye. It roared again and brought both hands down onto the ground, jostling Link as the ground shook from its strength. It continued to slap the ground with its tongue lashing around in the air, before straightening up and lumbering towards Link. 

Link bent his knees, ready to dash under the monster and again slash at its unprotected leg, but something caught his eye. In the grass behind where the monster had delivered his short tantrum, was the golden bow from the monster’s necklace. 

Link looked up at the monster and yelped as a tree was flying right at him. Link jumped out of the way and charged at the monster, faintly hearing Zelda shouting at him as he again slashed at the leg, producing a deeper gash then from before. He tried to cut at the monster again, but as his sword burrowed into the tough flesh, he was abruptly stopped as his sword got stuck into the monster's leg. Link tried to tug it out, but it wouldn’t even budge. 

Panic gripped Link as the monster raised it’s leg in agony, his sword sticking out like the many arrows that dotted the ground. It slammed its foot into the ground, almost making Link lose his footing as he dashed out from danger. The monster was enraged now. And without a sword in his hand, Link felt like a mouse. A dead mouse. 

He looked over at Zelda, who was sitting on Caviar with a white face. She was yelling something, but Link couldn’t hear over the monster’s roars. It turned its large disgusting eye on Link, swinging its arms down. Link hastily dodged out of the way, watching in fear as the monster uprooted another tree and began wielding it like a weapon. It swung the massive tree at Link, who jumped out of the way just in time. But as the monster swung again, a branch from the tree scraped his left forearm, cutting through the fabric of the tunic and digging into his skin. Quickly glancing down at the open wound, he could already see fresh red blood streaming down his arm. 

His head snapped towards Zelda again in desperation, and this time he finally heard what she was saying. “The bow!” She shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. Link’s heart shot up in hope. The bow! Of course! He instantly sprinted towards the golden weapon, scooping it up even though his arm stung in blinding pain. 

Ducking underneath the tree as the monster swung it again, Link snatched an arrow from the ground, running behind the monster. The monster stumbled around, trying to keep Link in his sight. He swung the tree around blindly, smashing it into other live trees and almost hitting Caviar and Zelda. As the monster once again spotted its prey, Link hurriedly strung the arrow, ignoring the searing pain in his arm and relying on his instincts entirely, took aim… and fired. 

The arrow soared straight over the monster’s head. Link’s stomach felt like it was filled with lead. The monster snorted, unamused, and swung the tree down onto Link. Rolling out of the way and dashing towards another arrow, Link once again strung it. The monster gave up with the tree and threw it at Link, who again dodged it, and slammed its hands down onto the ground in frustration. As its body was bent down, Link aimed the arrow and took a breath, releasing the projectile with a grunt. 

The arrow whistled through the air before piercing straight into the monsters eye. The monster’s cry of agony was the loudest thing Link had ever heard. He covered his ears as the monster sat onto the ground, thrashing around wildly and wailing horribly as it scratched at its eye. 

Taking advantage of the monsters pain, Link sprinted like a mad man at the monster’s leg, tugged his sword out of the leg, cranked his arm back, and launched the sword at the   
monster’s head. It almost hit the arrow, sticking straight through the creature’s skull. 

It took a moment, but with one last gurgling roar, the monster fell over onto its back, resuming it’s sleep. Only this time, it wouldn’t be waking up anymore. 

Gasping for breath, Link looked down at the open wound on his arm, wincing as it burned feverishly. 

“Link!" Zelda shouted, running towards him, her face as pale as the moon. "I swear on the Goddess Hylia! You're going to get yourself killed!" She took a long breath, the color slowly returning to her face. "What were you thinking?" She asked in a much more controlled tone. 

Link couldn't help but smile at Zelda's reaction. But, seeing how distraught she was, he forced the smile back. "Sorry." He said breathily, grimacing as his arm sent another shock of pain through him. 

Zelda looked down at the wound and winced at the sight of it. It was at least a foot long. It was just wider then the width of Link's thumb, and by the looks of it, only half of that deep. "We should clean that." She stated simply, grabbing Link's right wrist and dragging him to the island edge. 

On their way, they passed Caviar, in which Zelda instantly snatched something out of their saddle bag. It was the old dress from the Shrine of Resurrection. Apparently, even after getting new clothes, Zelda had still kept her old rags. And by the looks of it, she was going to use the fabric as a bandage. 

The shallow water before them looked clean enough, and with a guarded expression, Zelda forced Link's arm down towards the water. She began to splash water onto the wound, cleaning away the splattered blood, scrubbing from where it had dried. Link tried not to cry out in pain, but whenever a drop of water touched the open wound, it sent a stab of pain up his arm. 

When Zelda finished cleaning, she hurriedly took the old dress, ripped some of the fabric off so that it looked like a normal rag, and carefully bandaged the wound. Link watched the water with blank interest, grunting and giving Zelda a look when she tightened the bandage. Zelda ignored the glare and continued working, muttering under her breath. 

"You're one lucky moron." She said, finishing up her work and leaning back to examine the results.

"And how's that?" Link asked, moving his arm just a tad experimentally. 

"If that tree had scratched your right arm, you wouldn't be swinging a sword anytime soon." She glared at Link before softening her eyes a bit. "Still, you should take it easy for a while." 

Link nodded in agreement. "Thanks." He said, nodding his head at the bandage. 

"Mhm." Zelda stood, helping Link up before they both went to Caviar. "Let's hope this shortcut doesn't have anymore giant tree-wielding monsters." She murmured, stopping Link before he could climb into the saddle. "Hold up. You are not riding in front with that arm of yours." She said firmly. 

Agitated, Link lifted his wounded arm to Zelda's eye level. "It's not like it's broken or anything." He argued, wincing and quickly lowering his arm. 

Zelda snorted. "Broken or not, you are sitting behind me." 

Link sighed, knowing that Zelda would not back down. He watched with distaste as Zelda climbed on. He got on behind her, not excited to ride with golden hair whipping him in the face. 

He paused before he swung his leg over the saddle. “Wait.” He said, turning and jogging to where the golden bow lay in the grass. He scanned the ground for any arrows and collected them, ending up with a decent handful. He went back over to where Zelda waited on their horse. Tucking the arrows into their saddle bag, he slung the bow onto his back. 

“What about your sword?” Zelda pointed towards the dead body of the giant, where the sword from Dorian still stuck out of the thing’s eye. 

Link almost dry heaved at the thought of pulling his sword out of the giant bloody eyeball. However, the gleaming golden sword and silver shield caught his eye. They still hung around the monster’s neck on the roughly made necklace. Instantly, Link jogged over to the dead giant, trying not to jostle his arm. 

Once at the carcass, he turned his head, taking a deep breath and holding it as he began the climb. In death the monster smelled ten times worse then before. He scrambled up the fat side of the giant, trying not to gag as his feet sank into the thing’s flesh. As fast as possible, Link grabbed the sword and shield, turning and hastily jumping off of the monster. He let out his breath, sucking in fresh air. He vowed to never get near a dead giant like that ever again. 

Zelda peered down at the sword and shield as Link shower her his prizes. The sword looked similar to the bow, with gold patterns streaking across the blade. The shield was simple, yet sturdy. It was gray and made of steel, with a red insignia in the middle. The insignia was the same triforce-bird symbol from the paraglider that King Rhoam had given   
to Zelda. Only now did Link recognize it as the crest for the Royal Family of Hyrule. 

“Nice find.” Zelda commented as Link slid the golden sword into the leather strap on his hip and the shield onto his back. 

“It’ll be nice to have a bow and shield now.” Link replied, climbing onto Caviar behind Zelda. 

She nodded in return. “Definitely.” 

“Especially if there’s more monsters here in our way.” Link added. 

Zelda looked uncomfortable. “Well let’s hope there’s not.” She stated simply. 

 

Despite their best wishes, there were more monsters in their way. In fact, there was a whole fortress of them. 

Well… kind of. When they came out of the series of mini shallow islands, they came to an elaborate maze of bridges over a wide river. The entire thing was made of wood and bones, with lizard looking monsters scurrying around with hunched backs. 

Zelda looked over at Link with an annoyed expression. “Just a simple shortcut.” She said mockingly. 

“I didn’t expect this many monsters. If you really want to complain go find Kass.” He said.

“We should turn around.”

“But we’ve already come so far. It would take forever to turn back and go around.” 

“Fine.” Zelda huffed. She was about to snap the reins, but she stopped. “Wait!” She cried out excitedly. She grabbed the Sheikah Slate from her hip and pulled up the Runes, selecting the rounded bomb one. She clicked a button and a blue flash emanated from the Slate, revealing a blue glowing bomb the now rested in Zelda’s lap. She smiled proudly as she then snapped the reins without hesitation. Caviar obediently started forward. The clacking of Caviar’s hooves on the first wooden bridge alerted the lizard monster closest to them, which snapped it’s tongue at them like how a frog would snatch a fly out of the sky. 

It started to scurry towards them, wielding a mean looking forked boomerang. But before the monster could get close to them, Zelda chucked the bomb at it, and right when it smacked the thing in the face, she clicked the button on the Sheikah Slate again, causing the bomb to instantly explode, launching the now dead monster into the river. 

“Nice shot!” Link exclaimed, just as Zelda steered Caviar to follow the sharp bend of the bridge. 

With one hand, Zelda tried to summon another bomb, but it wouldn’t work. Instead, a little timer was ticking on the rune. “Looks like I won’t be able to use that again for a while. Keep your bow at the ready just in case.” 

Link nodded and grabbed his bow, stringing an arrow but keeping it on his lap. On instinct, he glanced down at the fabric around his arm. His heart sank a little when he saw that blood had already begun to seep through the makeshift bandage. 

They met many more monsters along the wooden bridges, which Link simply shot down with the bow. The only time when things almost got out of hand was when Caviar reared in panic when one of the lizard monsters got too close. In which case Zelda froze the monster with the Stasis rune and Link had simply decapitated the monster with his new sword. 

They were out of the frenzy in no time. Link’s arm was screaming in pain, and he tried not to show it. It helped that Zelda was in front of him. That way she couldn’t see his grimaces whenever he moved his arm. It also helped that her excitement with the Sheikah Slate distracted her as well. 

Patting Caviar comfortably on the side of his neck, Zelda turned to look back at Link, who tilted his arm so that she wouldn’t see the blood that had continued to seep through the fabric. “That wasn’t so bad.” She said happily, laughing a little. 

Link laughed in return. “You’re getting pretty good with that Sheikah Slate.” 

Zelda smiled brightly and said, “I’m actually being useful for once!” just as she turned back around and guided Caviar back onto the road. 

Trotting around a bend, they came upon a short bridge over the river that flowed towards them. On either side of the bridge were two small watchtowers. The structures were all made of the same blue material that gleamed in the low afternoon sun. 

As they came closer to the bridge, in which Zelda confirmed to be Inogo Bridge with the Sheikah Slate, a steady rainfall started, instantly soaking both of the travelers, much to their annoyance. Zelda stopped Caviar when a sudden hearty young voice called to them from above. 

“Say, hey there! You two!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MWAHAHAHA!! CLIFFHANGER! >:D well, not really since you guys already know what happens next since you've... played the game. I mean, hopefully you have because it's ridiculously fun!... anyhoo, it's still a cliffhanger, so HAH!
> 
> Also I just wanted to say that if there's ANY criticism or corrections I need to make/look over, please let me know!  
> That's it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please feel free to leave a comment/review. If you didn’t, then my answer is the same :) You guys are the best!


	8. A Princess' Undying Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. 
> 
> First of all, I am sorry. Why? Because I haven’t updated in over a month, because of writer's block and a bunch of other excuses you guys don’t want to hear. Nonetheless, I deeply apologize for making you guys wait so long! 
> 
> Also, I’ve gone back through the past chapters and I combined a lot of them, (as you have probably already noticed,) because I figured we would be drowning in chapters if I didn’t make them longer. 
> 
> Also also, I'm sorry if some of the comments that you have made have been deleted, as I had to delete most of my chapters as I combined them with others. And, if you're reading through and a comment doesn't make sense, that is probably because it was meant for a different chapter, before I made all of these big changes. 
> 
> Also also also, I added something else in too. Before, I didn't have the Sheikah Runes (magnesis, stasis, etc.) because I wasn't going to include the shrines, but as I continued to write this, I wanted Zelda to be a part of the action more, (and for other reasons too,) so I added them in! Some of the past chapters are slightly different because of this, so look over those if you wish but it isn't necessary :)
> 
> Thank you for your patience everyone! :P

Link and Zelda glanced at each other before looking around for whoever belonged to the voice. 

“Up top! Above you!” It called again. 

Both Link and Zelda obliged, looking up at the watchtower to their left, blinking the rain out of their eyes. 

A figure stood on top of the watchtower, looking down on them. Link held a hand over his eyes, trying to block out the rain and squint through the mist. The figure tensed and jumped off of the watchtower, performing a graceful double frontflip before landing heavily onto the ground. The figure straightened, looking down on Link and Zelda. 

The figure was at least two feet taller than both of the Hylians. He, for Link was sure the thing before them was a male, was standing on two legs, but he looked more fish than Hylian. He was mostly red, with a white belly, thighs, face, and the inside of his arms. A shark tail came out of his head and dangled against his back, with a hammerhead shark’s forehead and a shark fin on top of his head. His face was angled like a fish, although the structure of his face was still incredibly handsome, which surprised Link. He was wearing nothing but a few medallions, bracelets, and other assortments of belts and decorations. The fish-man’s eyes were a deep golden color, with black slits for pupils. When he opened his mouth to speak, it revealed sharp pointed teeth, just like a shark. 

“Pardon the entrance,” The fish-man said politely, “but you’re Hylians, aren’t you?” He spread his arms out like he was performing. “I was hoping perhaps you’d have a moment to talk.”

Zelda glanced at Link. “Uh.. yes, we are Hylians…” She said hesitantly. 

The fish-man’s face suddenly lit up at Zelda’s words. “Aha! Hylians! Yes, I knew it!” He cried, straightening his shoulders and relaxing his arms as he noticed Link and Zelda’s confused expressions. “Oh, pardon me…” he began, “I am Sidon, the Zora prince!” He proclaimed loudly, raising an arm and flexing it as he gave the two a cheeky smile with his pointed teeth. Link could’ve sworn he saw them twinkle. “And what are your names?” He asked, again returning to a relaxed stance. When Link and Zelda didn’t answer, he tried again. “Go on, please tell me!” 

Zelda cleared her throat. “I’m Zelda, and this is my-um…partner, Link.” She finished lamely, her cheeks turning slightly pink.”

Sidon’s face lit up. “Zelda and Link? What fantastic names! Hmm, though I cannot shake the feeling that I have heard them somewhere before…” He trailed off, giving Link and Zelda suspicious looks. The expression instantly vanished as he raised his fists in some sort of fighting stance. “Well, in any case, they are strong names! To be honest, I’ve been watching you two. Link, specifically. I’ve seen the way you work.” Sidon said, focusing his words on Link. “I can tell by how you carry yourself that you are no ordinary person. Link! You must be a strong warrior among the Hylians, correct?!” He said, louder than necessary. 

Link shifted his weight from one foot to the other, before finally resting his hands on his belt. “That’s right.” He said with a smile, wincing slightly as Zelda hit him in the side with her elbow. 

“Aha! Just as I suspected!” Sidon exclaimed. “I am a Zora prince, after all. I have an eye for talent that is unparalleled!” 

Zelda pursed her lips, clearly annoyed by being ignored. She opened her mouth to intervene, but Sidon cut her off before she could utter a sound. 

“Yes! Exquisite!” He cried. “I have been searching for someone like you for a long while.” He said to Link. “A man like you, Link, who carries himself with power! Right now, Zora’s Domain is in grave danger because of the massive rainfall coming from Divine Beast Vah Ruta! Please, promise you will help us! We need your strength, warrior! Wouldn’t you please come to Zora’s Domain with me?” 

Zelda perked up. “Actually, that’s where we’re trying to go right now.” She said. “We were tasked by Impa, a friend of ours, to travel to Zora’s Domain to cleanse Divine Beast Vah Ruta.” She explained. 

Sidon smiled brightly. “Wow! Really?!” 

Link nodded. “It’s the truth.” He said. 

“Thank you, Link! You are indeed the man I thought you were!” Sidon said happily. Zelda huffed and folded her arms, giving Sidon a sharp glare. The Zora prince, clearly oblivious to Zelda’s expression, continued without stopping. “Now Zora’s Domain will be saved for certain! No time to waste! Hurry up and head over!” He paused, as if a sudden thought struck him. “Ah, but because of the rain, the cliffs are too wet to climb. To reach the domain, you will need to go straight along this path.”

Link looked out across the bridge, scanning the winding road that disappeared around a bend. He frowned, not looking forward to traveling in the rain. 

“As Hylians, I know you two are unable to swim up the river. As such, the path to the Domain may be a bit treacherous. You likely have a tough fight in store-there are monsters up ahead that attack with electricity.” 

Subconsciously, Link placed a hand over his wound on his arm, grimacing at the thought of getting shocked. Hadn’t they already been through enough? 

Sidon flexed an arm and smiled once again. “Don’t give up! I believe in you!” He exclaimed, the rain the only sound before Sidon cleared his throat and continued. “Oh! That’s right! I have something that I would like to give to you two! Unfortunately, I only have one, as I wasn’t expecting two Hylians, but perhaps it will still do you good. In either case, this is just a small trinket to show that I have faith in you two.” He reached behind him and pulled out a glass jar with a strange yellow-green liquid sloshing around inside. He handed the jar to Link. “It is a drink that will increase your resistance to electricity! It’s called the Electro Elixir!” He explained. “I am not sure why, but its effects do not seem to work for Zora. Perhaps because it was made specifically for Hylians. It should work wonders for whichever one of you drinks it, though! I shall go on ahead and make sure there is not anything strange going on where you two are headed. I’m counting on you!” And with that, the Zora Prince jumped backwards and twisted in the air, diving headfirst into the river with an exaggerated splash. 

Zelda sighed and looked over across the bridge. Her golden hair was soaked from the rain, shifting heavily whenever she moved her head. She grabbed the Sheikah Slate from her hip and opened up the map, zooming in on the path that they would have to take to get to Zora’s Domain. She groaned and showed the map to Link. “This is going to take forever!” She complained. 

Link took the Slate from Zelda’s hands, holding it with one hand while the jar from Sidon rested in his other. “We’ll make it.” He replied, handing the slab of Sheikah tech back to Zelda. She clasped it back onto her hip and folded her arms. 

“It’s not going to be fun.” She warned. “Especially with this rain.” 

Link shrugged, wincing slightly from his arm, and presented Zelda the jar of Electro Elixir. “You should drink this.” He said. 

Zelda gave the jar a disgusted look before her eyes shifted to the blood that had seeped through the fabric on Link’s arm. “You’re the one with the injury!” She argued, taking Link’s left wrist and studying the wound. “We’re gonna need a new bandage. This is barely slowing the bleeding, much less stopping it!” 

Jerking his arm out of Zelda’s grip, Link shook his head. “I’m fine!” He replied. “I’ll be fine until we get to Zora’s Domain. Perhaps the people there can help it.” 

Zelda remained stubborn. “You drink the elixir. I’m not going to drag you to Zora’s Domain if you get hit with some electric arrow!” 

“Alright fine.” Link gave in, plucking the lid out of the jar and reluctantly gulping down the contents inside. He grimaced at the sour taste, coughing into his uninjured arm. “That was disgusting!” He exclaimed, glaring at the now empty jar before sticking the lid back in. Zelda took the jar from him, walking over to Caviar and placing the jar in their saddle bag. She had an amused look on her face that was tinted with curiosity. 

“...How do you feel?” She asked. 

Link shook his head. He didn’t feel any different. “Fine, but my taste buds might say otherwise.” 

Zelda let out a laugh and turned back to Caviar, taking his reigns in one hand. She lead their horse to the bridge. “Well, whether or not your taste buds are still sour, we need to get going. I want to find somewhere to rest that isn’t out in the open.”

The started onto the bridge with Zelda leading Caviar. It wasn’t until they were on the other side when they realized just how tedious and dangerous this little trip would be. 

A rock suddenly smashed directly in front of Zelda, causing Caviar to whinny and rear up in surprise. Zelda yelped and kept their horse in line, looking out towards the river on their left. A strange balloon creature was floating in the air before it suddenly dropped into the river. Not a second passed when it jumped back up into the air, shooting another rock towards Zelda out of its mouth. 

Instantly Link leapt in front of Zelda and Caviar, pulling out his new shield and holding it in front of him with his good arm. The rock smashed against the shield, jarring Link’s arm and pushing him back slightly. Zelda grabbed the same arm as the creature splashed back into the water, preparing to shoot another projectile. 

“Let’s go!” She cried, dragging Link by her as she lead Caviar up the path. Two more of those same balloon creatures were ahead, hovering in the air until they noticed the travelers. They dropped into the river before jumping up and shooting out rocks at Link, Zelda, and Caviar. 

Link stayed closest to the river, keeping his shield up in case one of the rocks were to come towards them. His arm throbbed, but he ignored it. He would take a look at it once they found a place for the night. 

Caviar was trotting behind Zelda, neighing loudly in alarm whenever a rock smashed against the cliff face to their right. 

They hastily climbed up the hill and turned around a bend. The sound of rocks crashing against the ground disappeared. Link sighed and put the shield back onto his back, looking over at Zelda to see how she was faring. 

Thankfully, she looked alright, even if she was breathing hard. She patted Caviar’s neck comfortingly as she heaved a large sigh. “This isn’t going to be fun at all.” She groaned. 

Link smiled and chuckled, his grin fading when he heard the familiar scuttling of feet rushing up behind him. He turned, becoming face to face with one of those lizard monsters from before. He yelped and pulled out his shield with his left arm just in time as the monster slashed with its fierce looking boomerang. Link winced at the impact as it jostled his injured arm before drawing out his golden sword and stabbing at the monster. The monster leapt back surprisingly far before scuttling with frightening speed for another attack. Link jumped to the side as the monster slashed at where Link’s head was moments before. Before Link could strike back, his injury sent out a sharp wave of pain, causing him to drop his shield and sword. The monster turned towards Link, raising it’s weapon when it suddenly froze, letting out a pain filled, gurgling cry before crumbling to the ground. 

Standing where the monster was Zelda, gripping the Yiga’s sickle with both hands, her knuckles white. She looked down at the weapon in her hands and back at Link before hastily scraping the gore on the grass before slipping the weapon back through one of the straps on Caviar’s saddle. 

Link stared at Zelda, dumbfounded as she turned towards him. She gasped slightly as she looked back at him. “S-sorry. I panicked.” She said quickly. 

Smiling, Link laughed and picked up his shield and sword. “Sorry?” He repeated. “Why would you be sorry? That was great!” 

Zelda looked confused. “I could've just used the Sheikah Slate, but he was too fast, so I figured I’d use the sickle, but what if I had missed, and then-" 

“Zelda.” Link said firmly, looking the princess in the eyes. “I have no idea what I’m doing. I would’ve died right then if it hadn’t been for you, so please, next time that happens, do exactly what you just did now, even if you didn’t use the Slate.”

Zelda smiled, her familiar confidence quickly returning. “Well near death situations are becoming quite the norm for you.” 

Link smirked. “Really?” 

Nodding, Zelda replied. “Maybe you ought to teach me sword fighting so that this doesn’t happen again.” 

Link’s smirk faded into an expression of surprise. “Teach you?” 

“I’m a fast learner.” Zelda said. “Besides, two Hylians against one monsters seems like a much better idea then one on one. And Sidon said that there are more monsters ahead that fight with electricity. I don’t think your arm is going to hold up all the way to Zora’s Domain.”  
Link was about to argue, but before he could even open his mouth, Zelda interrupted. “And don’t say I can just use the Sheikah Slate. Even if it is helpful and it makes me useful, what if there’s more than one monster? Even if I freeze one, the others will be able to attack, and the bombs are too risky.” 

Pondering the arguments Zelda had pointed out, Link glanced down at the bandage around his arm, noting how red the fabric had become. He looked back up at Zelda. “Alright. I’ll teach you.” He said. Zelda’s smile brightened. “But,” Link began, “We’ve got to find a place to stay for the night.” 

“How about here then?” 

“We’ve still got time.” Link pointed out. “I say we continue up the path until it gets dark.” 

Zelda nodded in agreement and went over to Caviar. Link walked with her as she grabbed the reigns of their trusty steed, and they were off, walking up along the hill side. 

They came around another bend and continued along the path which was now directly next to the river. Several of those balloon monsters noticed them and were about to shoot at them, but Link only pulled out his bow, three arrows, and shot them all. 

The path winded across a large slab of rock that stretched across a narrow part of the river, in which it took a few moments to urge Caviar onto and over the makeshift bridge. After a few steps the path winded again over another slab. Once over the other bridge, the path straightened out and curved upwards along the river. 

Zelda sighed and opened her mouth to talk when a familiar voice called up to them from the river. “HEY! Link! Zelda!” Both travelers turned towards the voice, seeing Sidon floating in the river and waving at them excitedly. 

“Sorry for calling out to you from the river!” He shouted. “Since I pressured you into coming, I was not sure you would really come through. I am pleased that things are going well. Ever since this strange occurrence, there have been a lot of monsters around here.” 

“No kidding.” Zelda muttered. Link smiled at the sarcasm. 

“Be careful as you proceed!” Sidon continued. “And hurry! All of my fellow Zora are anxiously awaiting your arrival!” And with no other words, the Zora prince jumped out of the river, twisted in the air, and dived in with a large dramatic splash. 

Link and Zelda looked down at the river for a moment before turning and continuing up the mountain, the dirt pathway becoming more rocky as they walked. At the top there was a blue lamp that seemed to glow without fire. It was the only mark that indicated that they were still on the right path. 

Without stopping, Link and Zelda rounded a bend, turning away from the river. Another lizard monster suddenly sprang right up in front of them, in which Zelda froze the monster with the Stasis rune, and Link swiftly drew his sword and decapitated the creature. They continued along, finding themselves in a short narrow canyon providing some shelter from the rain. 

They stopped here, taking off the saddle bag for Caviar for the night. Zelda pulled out some bread and dried meat for a short dinner, before they both sat against the canyon wall, trying their best to stay out of the relentless rain. They ate in silence, grateful for the food, however stale it was. 

Afterwards Zelda told Link to hold out his injured arm. She carefully undid the bandage, wincing as she saw the wound. 

It hadn’t healed at all. The only good thing was that the bleeding had slowed. Otherwise, it smelled awful, and looked infected. Link grimaced as Zelda tentatively dabbed at the wound with the fabric. She tossed the bloody makeshift bandage to the side and grabbed her old outfit, ripping some more, clean fabric. She had Link hold out his arm again, and she used the fabric to try to clean some more of the dried blood and infection. It was painful and the attempts seemed to take them nowhere, but both Link and Zelda felt satisfied for at least trying. 

Without a word, Zelda wrapped up the wound like before, making it tighter so that it would continue to stem the bleeding, however slow it was. Link sighed once she was finished, his arm throbbing from the pain it had just endured. 

The sky had just darkened when Link and Zelda both agreed to go to sleep, mumbling goodnight to each other and lying down on the hard rock path, Zelda using the rest of her old outfit as a pillow. 

 

The trip to Zora’s Domain soon set into a mundane rhythm that Link and Zelda both looked forward to abandoning. They would trek along the harsh pathway, following the flameless lanterns as best they could, occasionally striking down the scuttling lizard monsters that often wielded bows with shock arrows. 

As the day stretched forward, Link’s arm continued to fester and throb, making it increasingly difficult to fend off the monsters. Zelda continued to pester him to teach him sword fighting, and occasionally, when they weren’t being chased down, he would show her some techniques as they walked, him wielding the golden sword, and Zelda with the Yiga’s sickle. 

Sidon often called from the river, making sure they were okay and cheering them on with words of grandeur. The Zora Prince made it quite clear that he believed they were strong warriors, and that his people were anxiously awaiting their grand arrival. The words of comfort, even if they seemed slightly exaggerated at times, was well appreciated by the two travelers. 

As the sun began its journey down the horizon, Link and Zelda winded down a short hill and came upon a marvelous sight that made them both grin largely. Before them was a large structure that was the home of the Zora. Large cliffs surrounded the Domain, the illuminated blue causing a sharp contrast with the dark rock. Zelda quickly grabbed her Sheikah Slate, looking at the map. She looked back up at the impressive Domain, her smile growing. 

They had arrived. 

 

As Link and Zelda entered into Zora’s Domain, standing at the entrance, Sidon ran towards them, his face radiating joy and surprise. He held his arms out, crying out in surprise. “Whoa!” He stared at the two. 

Link raised his hand in greeting, and Zelda smiled politely. 

Sidon continued to speak. “I’ve been waiting for you two!” He said, flexing an arm in his familiar gesture. “Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain! Now I shall introduce you to the king. Hurry, this way!” And with that, the prince turned on his heel and began to walk, Link and Zelda hurrying to keep up with his long strides. As they trudged deeper into the Domain, many of the Zora’s stopped and gawked at the two travel worn Hylians, their eyes lingering on the Sheikah Slate on Zelda’s hip. They passed by a statue of a female Zora with a beautiful trident pointed at the ground. The face of the Zora struck a chord in Link, but he decided now wasn’t the time to ask Sidon about it. They continued up some shallow stairs, passing some older Zora who gave Link and Zelda both a look of disgust and hate. Trying not to pay attention to their glaring eyes, Link continued on behind Zelda and Sidon, soon entering into a large throne room. 

A large Zora who resembled more of a whale sat before them, gazing down on them with intelligent eyes that had seen many battles. Sidon continued forward when Link and Zelda stopped, standing at the right hand side of the King. A green elder Zora stood on the left, gazing at Link with the same hatred as the others. 

Link glanced at Sidon before looking up at the mighty Zora King. Zelda clasped her hands behind her back. The room was silent for a moment before the King spoke, his deep voice reverberating deep within Link’s bones. 

“Ah, you must be the Hylians that Sidon brought here, correct?” Zelda nodded, and the King continued. “You two did well to come all the way here!” The King praised, raising his chin. “I am King Dorephan, ruler of the Zora.” He proclaimed, his eyes widening slightly as he looked upon Zelda. “Hm? That object upon your waist, young lady… is that not a Sheikah Slate?! Now that I have gotten a good look at you two, it is all too clear who stands in our midst.” He directed his attention at Link. “You are the Hylian Champion, Link!” The King turned his eyes back onto Zelda. “And you are King Rhoam’s daughter, Princess Zelda! Do not tell me you two have forgotten me…”

“The Hylian Champion? You can’t mean THE Link? THAT Champion?! And the Princess?” Sidon interrupted, “So that’s where I have heard your names before! What a fateful coincidence that we should cross paths!”

“I cannot believe it. The Hylian Champion, and the Princess of Hyrule have appeared before us… We have met numerous times, I’ll have you two know. Ah… So many memories! My mind is overflowing with nostalgia, my friends. I had heard a terrible rumor that you both had fallen in the return of the Calamity, but it appears you managed to survive. Extraordinary!”

“Well, you see…” Zelda began, telling the King and the Prince their awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection, and the fate of their memories. 

“Come again? 100 years you two have been asleep? And you do not remember me?” The King looked downhearted. “Link, surely you must remember my precious daughter, Mipha, yes? You do, do you not?” 

Link glanced at Zelda guiltily before responding. “I don’t.” 

“I can't believe it… Have you truly forgotten my dear Mipha as well? You and Mipha were so close… Yet you do not remember her? Young hero… When you entered into our beautiful Domain, did you not see that statue of the young Zora maiden? Does gazing upon Mipha’s immortalized form still not jog your memory?” 

Link sadly shook his head.

King Dorephan sighed. “Well, perhaps your memories will return in time. I dearly hope so.”

“Father…” Sidon intervened, “I do not believe discussing my sister is helping matters at the moment. Link and Zelda seem confused.” 

The King blinked for a moment, seemingly caught off guard, as if he was lost in a memory. “Oh? Yes, of course. But first, it is worth noting how remarkable it is that Sidon brought the Hylian Champion AND the Princess herself here without realizing it! That is quite a feat, my boy!” King Dorephan laughed heartily, rocking his throne and the roof of the open room itself. “Wah ha ha! That is a good one!” As soon as the King had started to laugh, he finished, his expression turning serious once more. “Link, Zelda, I doubt not that you have endured a great many trials. Still, I must ask you to hear my plea. Now then… I must inform you that Zora’s Domain is in danger of vanishing because of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. We alone cannot stop this beast. Will you, Link, lend us your strength? And you, Zelda, your wisdom?”

“What?!” The green Zora to the left of King Dorephan suddenly cried out, his expression that of complete horror. “King Dorephan! My liege! Please do not speak so! To ask Hylians for help… Why, the very thought of it curls my fins!”

The King looked down at the Zora with a disappointed frown. “Muzu, I expected more of you. How can you still protest?”

“Muzu! It is rude to speak that way to your king and his guests. Link and Zelda are here because I invited them!” Sidon proclaimed. “With such unprecedented rainfall, we have no choice but to rely on the aid of these trustworthy Hylians. Have we not already discussed this and arrived at that very conclusion? They are the key to saving Zora’s Domain. I have no doubt in my mind.”

“Indeed! Link and Zelda are our trusted guests, through and through.” King Dorephan agreed. “As things now stand, Zora’s Domain… Nay! Perhaps all of Hyrule… is doomed to be swallowed by the sea. This is bigger than all of us, my friend.” King Dorephan explained, directing his attention to Muzu, who seemed to be fuming with rage. “Zora and Hylians alike must put aside our differences and band together.”

“Have you forgotten already, my king?! We cannot trust these lowly Hylians!” Muzu argued, his hands clenched into fists. They were trembling with anger. “A hundred years ago, they abused the power of an ancient civilization and turned Hyrule into what it is today! And that is not the least of it!” His anger seemed to suddenly leave him, and with his hands clasped behind his back, he muttered, “It is their fault that Lady Mipha was lost to us…” 

King Dorephan sighed, taking a moment before speaking. “Link, Zelda… Divine Beast Vah Ruta has great power. It has the unique ability to create an endless supply of water. Of late it has been mercilessly spouting water into the air. As a result, this area has been plagued by heavy rains. For us Zora, water and air are as one, so you would not think this would be quite so critical of a problem. Sadly, the rains have filled the easter reservoir nearly to the point of flooding. If the reservoir bursts, as it soon will, I fear immense damage will befall not only Zora’s Domain…” 

“But also Hyrule.” Zelda finished for him, looking at the ground as she thought about the problem. 

Just then, a loud cry that sounded like a pained elephant shook the room, but instead of fear or alarm, the King, Sidon, and even Muzu only looked out towards the reservoir with grief. “Hmm… The Divine Beast is crying out once again…” King Dorephan muttered softly, just as the Beast cried out once more before the room grew eerily silent. Link shivered from the sound the Beast had made. “The Divine Beast Vah Ruta…” The King began quietly, “Zelda, you often studied the Divine Beasts. That is, in the time before the Great Calamity.” 

Zelda raised her head at the sound of her name, her eyes becoming filled with that familiar glint of curiosity and wonder that Link remembered seeing in his memories of her. 

The King continued. “According to your research, the orbs located on Ruta’s shoulders are mechanisms that can control the water it generates. However, they require electricity to work. These orbs are clearly out of control now because there is no electricity coursing through to stop them.”

“Seggin, who is quite shock resistant for a Zora, hit one with a shock arrow. Sure enough, it slowed the water a bit.” Sidon said, “Unfortunately, as an aquatic race, we Zora are terribly vulnerable to the power of electricity. Perhaps because we could not safely strike it with enough electricity at once, the water soon returned to its full force. That is why I went in search of a Hylian who could help us!” Sidon flexed his arm, smiling pridefully before resuming talking. “We need you two to use shock arrows to get those orbs working properly again! I will aid you both in any way I can, of course. Please… I beg of you. Help me stop Ruta’s rampage of destruction!”

“Well, um…” Link started but instantly trailed away, leaving the explaining for Zelda herself. 

“You see, your majesty, a good friend of ours, Impa, instructed us to enter the Divine Beast and cleanse it from the inside.” Zelda explained. 

King Dorephan leaned forward, intrigued. “Oh? She told you to board Vah Ruta? Well now… that creates a whole new perspective… The events of 100 years ago cannot be altered, it is true. But if we can regain control of the Divine Beasts… they may yet prove useful in sealing Calamity Ganon once and for all!”

“I did not know you had such grand ambitions…” Sidon said, quickly regaining his posture and flexing once again. “Wondrous! Naturally, I shall help too! Once it has stopped rampaging, you two can easily climb inside it. Come, Link, Zelda! Let us appease Ruta together!”

Link nodded while Zelda smiled. Sidon seemed overjoyed, while the King gave a small smile as well. “Thank you. Truly. We are in your debt. Our goal is the same. That means our meeting was nothing short of destiny. Now then… allow me to offer gifts as a show of faith.” 

Immediately, a younger Zora tottered in, holding a heavily armored shirt with blue fabric. The Zora gave the shirt to Link, while another Zora came in and gave similar armor to Zelda. Muzu’s eyes widened as he looked at the shirt Link was now holding. 

“So long as you both wear this Zora armor, you can ascend waterfalls, just like a Zora. Princess, your armor is one of our best crafted, but the one you, Link, now hold, is especially important. Please take good care of it.” The King said. 

“King Dorephan!” Muzu shouted, “Surely you do not intend to give these outsiders the Zora armor! Countless generations of Zora princesses have gifted that armor to the one they have sworn to marry! Princess Mipha made that one there with her own hands!” Muzu exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger to the shirt that Link was holding. “It is far too important to entrust to a shady Hylian! He may be a Champion, but Mipha had no such relationship with him. So why should HE receive such an honor? And the Princess!” The old Zora growled, turning his attention to Zelda. “Such precious crafted armor is far too valuable! Zora has only ever given such gifts to our most trusted friends, not some failed princess who was 100 years too late!” 

Link felt his heart rate quicken in anger at the old Zora as he insulted Zelda. And what was this about the armor he now held? It was some sort of engagement ring?

“This is just too much, my liege! I do not understand it one bit!” Muzu cried, stomping out of the throne room. 

King Dorephan watched Muzu leave with pity. “Please forgive Muzu’s rudeness. You must understand… he was in charge of educating my dear daughter, Mipha. Naturally, she means a lot to him… just as she means the world to us. Ever since we lost her to the Calamity, he has grown to despise Hylians. But now we face a tedious problem… I tasked Muzu with finding the shock arrows needed to defeat Vah Ruta. But now he has rushed off in a huff.” 

“Do not let his words concern either of you two. I will work this out with Muzu. I shall return shortly!” Sidon exclaimed, immediately turning and running out of the throne room. Once the prince had left, the King lowered his voice to a mumble. 

“Sidon… I suppose that means you are going to tell him… Link, Zelda,” the King began, raising his voice once more, “Muzu is most likely at the square down below. Would you two mind going down there? I would like you to try to speak with him.” 

“Of course.” Zelda replied, turning around and walking out of the throne room. Link followed, wincing as his injury sent a shock of pain through his arm. He subconsciously decided that after this mess was sorted out with Muzu, he would have his arm looked at.

 

The King had been right. Muzu and Sidon both stood in the square, next to the statue. The two Zora were locked in an argument, and when Link and Zelda walked up to the encounter, Muzu scoffed. 

“Hmph. You came all the way here, but it was in vain. I have no desire to speak with either of you.” The old Zora snarled. 

“Listen well, Muzu. There is something you need to know.” Sidon said, his voice tainted with sympathy. “He who stands here… the man called Link… is the one whom my sister, Mipha, had feelings for. I was only a child then, so I did not know it myself at the time. But it is so. I grew up hearing my father tell stories, some of which were about my sister’s undying love for a Hylian named Link.”

Muzu stared at Sidon in horror and disgust. “What?! No… You cannot fool me with such a fanciful lie. Not this Zora! How could Lady Mipha possibly have feelings for a Hylian like him?!” The initial shock of Sidon’s words wore off from the old Zora’s face, leaving a fierce glare in his eyes. “The facts are clear. He remembers nothing. Even when he looks upon Princess Mipha’s statue…” 

“It is the truth, Muzu. though you never knew it, he was ever in Mipha’s heart.” Sidon said earnestly. 

Link looked away from the argument and up at the statue, gazing into the soft expression of the Zora Princess. Time seemed to stop for a moment, the voices of the two Zora fading into muffled whispers. Link suddenly felt alone and cold, the statue pricking the back of his mind, scraping at his vault of memories yet to be known. After what seemed an eternity, the vault opened just a crack, flooding Link’s vision with sudden darkness. 

 

Mipha always loved spending time near her Divine Beast, as if it were some giant cuddly bear dog. Link knew this, as well as how gentle the Princess became whenever she healed one of his wounds. 

Even now, as the two of them sat on the trunk of Vah Ruta, Mipha was healing a rather large scrape on his right arm, the soft blue glow that emanated from her palm making the wound itch. But, he didn’t mind. It helped when Mipha started to speak, her quiet voice soothing the irritation. 

“I was thinking…” She began, “this reminds me of the time we first met.” Link smiled at the memory, even as she spoke of it. “You were just a reckless child… always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Every time, I would heal you. Just as I’m doing right now. I thought it was funny how, being a Hylian, you looked grown-up so much faster than I did.” 

Link looked up at Mipha, and their eyes met. “I was… I was always willing to heal your wounds. Even back then.” She looked back down at the blue glow from her healing, just as the scrape vanished as if it had never been there. The blue glow vanished as well, and Link looked over his arm, always impressed by how quickly a wound like that could just disappear. He put his arm down and resituated himself into a comfier position as Mipha continued to speak. 

“So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do? We just don’t seem to know much about what we’ll be up against.” She sighed then took a breath, as if to recollect herself. “But know this: that no matter how difficult this battle might get… If you-if anyone ever tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, or how bad the wound… I hope you know… that I will always protect you.” She said gently, looking down at her hands that were clasped in front of her. “Once this whole thing is over… maybe things can go back to how they used to be when we were young. You know…” She looked back up at Link. “Perhaps we could spend some time together.”

 

Link’s eyes shot open, and he found himself lying down on something soft. Disorientated, he sat up, surprised to see Zelda sitting by the bed he was on. She smiled brightly as they made eye contact. 

“You’re awake!” She exclaimed.

“Link!” Sidon suddenly ran up to the bed, kneeling down on the other side so that they were at eye level. “When you passed out in the square, we had no idea what had happened! Are you alright?” 

Link blinked a couple of times, still trying to get his bearings. He looked around the room he was in, spotting Muzu standing against a wall, watching him with eyes filled with steel. “Where am I?” Link asked. 

“We brought you to the Inn.” Zelda explained, nodding her head at Link’s left arm. Link looked down, surprised to see clean white bandages around the wound. His sleeve had been pulled up to his shoulder. “While you were out, we had one of the Zora women come in and clean up the infection. They stitched it up as well.” 

“I had no idea you bore such a grievous wound, Hero! Why didn’t you tell me?” Sidon asked. 

Link was about to shrug, but he thought better of it. He didn’t want to disturb his newly stitched arm. “I thought it could wait.” 

“Perhaps the Champion would like to explain what happened in the square?” Muzu cut in, walking towards the bed. “Certainly a strong hero like yourself wouldn’t pass out from a measly scratch?” The old Zora sneered.

“The wound was infected, Muzu.” Sidon explained. 

“I remember her.” Link said bluntly, looking straight at Muzu. 

Muzu looked shocked. “WHAT?!” He exclaimed. “Do not mistake me for a fool, Hylian! There is no way you remembered her just now, when it is most convenient.” He quickly regained his calm and collected posture. “In any case, without any solid proof, I cannot possibly take you at your word! If you have any such proof, now is the time to show it. Do so and… and I… I shall tell you how to get those shock arrows! Yes, as well as anything else you wish to know.” 

Link looked over at Zelda, noticing the Zora armor that Mipha had made sitting on top of a small table behind her. An idea suddenly popped into his head. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, quickly grabbing the Zora armor and, taking off his Champions tunic, pulled on the blue and silver armor, ignoring the pain in his arm from the fresh stitches. 

The armor fit perfectly, the silver pendants and decorations dangling perfectling from the carefully stitched fabric. 

Sidon gasped silently as he looked upon the armor, as well as Zelda. However, there was something else in her eyes when she scanned over the shirt. 

“Muzu! Look closely at the clothes Link is wearing!” Sidon exclaimed, looking up at Muzu with excitement. 

Muzu looked over at Link. “Hm? You really think changing your clothes is going to make me…Eh?!” The old Zora’s eyes widened. “What in the… That is the Zora armor from before! Lady Mipha made that by hand… and yet it fits you perfectly! What is the meaning of this?!”

“Now you understand, do you not?” Sidon said, “Now you know who her heart belonged to and who she made this special armor for. The fact that this armor fits Link perfectly should be proof enough that Mipha made it for him and him alone! You have always disliked Hylians, even before the Great Calamity. That is why Mipha never told you. Now that you know, you must promise to help him save us all, Muzu. Please… Tell us where we can find the shock arrows we need. Knowing you, I bet you have already figured it out.”

Finally, Muzu looked at Link without anger, but with bitter content. “Hmph. I never would have imagined she would make that special armor for one such as he…” He trailed away, looking at the ground as if thinking intensely before looking back up with his decision made. “I do not approve of asking for help from a Hylian, but I suppose it is our only option at this point. I am a proud Zora. that means I must take responsibility for my unwarranted behavior toward you. As promised, I shall tell you where you can collect as many shock arrows as you will need.” He turned his attention to Zelda. 

“There is a tall mountain just outside of Zora’s Domain. It is called Ploymus Mountain, and there you will also find Shatterback Point. I believe your Sheikah Slate has a map, yes?” When Zelda confirmed his inquiry, he continued. “Then you will be able to find this mountain, and there you will find a terrifying creature that has made its home there. This awful beast shoots volley after volley of shock arrows. Even a single one could be fatal to a Zora.” Muzu explained. 

“Aha!” Sidon exclaimed. “You must mean that Lynel! He is a man-beast, that one! That beast does indeed wield shock arrows. That is certainly one way to collect them quickly. He is vicious, to be sure. But I am certain we will rise to the challenge.” 

Muzu nodded. “In order to appease the Divine Beast, I estimate that you will need… hmmm… at least 20 shock arrows. Do you think you can gather that many?” Muzu asked, mainly focusing the question to Link, who glanced at his injured arm that was now covered by the armor. 

“Why do you still doubt him, Muzu! I have no doubt he will be triumphant!” Sidon said brightly. “Link, Zelda, let’s get moving. The fastest way to Ploymus Mountain is to ascend the waterfalls east of the domain! That new Zora armor should come in handy!”

“Sidon, you don’t intend to come with us, do you?” Zelda asked. 

The Zora prince looked confused. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Muzu just said that a single arrow could prove fatal for a Zora. It’s far too dangerous, and you’re the prince!” Zelda explained.

Sidon looked a little put off by this, but he sighed and nodded his head. “You’re right, I’m afraid… very well, I will wait at East Reservoir Lake, right by the Divine Beast. Gather what you can, then come join me!” 

Zelda smiled and nodded. “We will return.” She said confidently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so will I! I’ve almost got the next chapter done and ready, which is good news not only for you but for me as well. Anyways, thank you for reading, and if you had a good time, please drop a comment/review!


	9. Plunge at Shatterback Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boyo this is probably my longest chapter I've written! It's also jam-packed with action, so hopefully that's exciting! :P

“You really think this is going to work?” Link asked, craning his neck to see up the large roaring waterfall before them, the morning sun glinting off of it’s shining waters. 

“Well, I guess we’re about to find out now, aren’t we?” Zelda replied, looking down at her Zora armour that she had put on before they had left Zora’s Domain. The Zora had also been as kind as to give them free beds to spend the night in, as well as a full meal, which made Link very happy. They had also promised safety and care for their horse, Caviar.

Zelda’s Zora armour looked similar to Link’s, but it was longer, making it a short dress that had Zora’s fins on the ends, making her look like one of the Zora women. It was blue, like Link’s, with less decorative material and more silver plates of armour. 

Together, Link and Zelda walked into the shallow water, climbing up onto a large boulder just at the waterfall. With one glance at each other, Link and Zelda dove in, instantly feeling the force of the waterfall as it crashed down onto them. Link quickly kicked his legs with all of his strength, reaching up and propelling himself up the waterfall.

The feeling was exhilarating and unsteady. At any moment, Link felt as if he was about to be shoved back down to the ground below from the waterfalls incredible force, while at the same time, he felt confident that the rushing water pushing down around him had no hold on him. 

The climb felt like it only lasted a few seconds, with Link bursting out of the water and landing with a roll on the ground. He looked up to see Zelda already standing, panting with a large grin on her face. 

“That was…” She began.

“Different.” Link finished for her, and they both shared a laugh. 

Zelda’s smile faltered for a moment, and she looked out towards Zora’s Domain. Link followed her gaze, sighing at the beautiful sight, even if it was muted by the onslaught of rain. 

“I wonder what this place looks like without this horrible weather.” Zelda said quietly. 

Link nodded. “It must be a work of art.” He replied.

Zelda looked at her feet, when she suddenly stumbled backwards as if struck by some invisible force. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, before she gasped and collapsed. Startled, Link caught her before she hit the ground, but before he began to panic, he wondered if she was experiencing some sort of memory. 

It only took a few moments before Zelda’s eyes slowly opened, and as her eyes focused on Link, she gasped again and quickly got out of Link’s hold. She took a second to recollect herself, then looked straight into Link’s eyes. “I remember Mipha.” She stated.

Link smiled, expecting Zelda to do the same from the happy news, but Zelda wasn’t smiling. “Well that’s good… right?” 

“Of course it is,” Zelda replied quickly. “but I don’t… feel good about it, or about… her.” 

Link was confused. “Why?” He asked simply.

Zelda’s cheeks flushed. “Well, she-she made you that Zora Armour! That’s practically proposing!” 

“Yes, I understand that.” Link nodded, encouraging her to continue. 

“But I-she-you-” Zelda’s voice cut off, and she took a deep breath. “She’s dead, and well, I-we might… see her.”

Link looked over Zelda’s face, wondering why this would be such a horrible thing. “Perhaps…” He agreed hesitantly. 

Zelda let out an exasperated sigh. She stood, placing her hands on her hips. “I just don’t want anything to become… quiet between us again.” 

Link stood as well. “I’m not going to do that again. I already learned my lesson.” He said confidently. He looked at the ground for a moment, connecting the dots in his head. Zelda doesn’t want things to go quiet again, and she’s predicting it will if we see Mipha again? But why? Link looked back up at Zelda again. “What exactly did you remember about Mipha?” 

“I’ll explain as we walk.” Zelda said, pointing at the next waterfall that they needed to climb. Link nodded and they began towards the thundering waterfall. “I remember talking with Mipha at the top of a waterfall, just like where we just were.” Zelda begins, looking forwards. “I was recruiting her, or asking her to be a champion, and to pilot Divine Beast Vah Ruta. She accepted of course, and she also spoke with Sidon, who was only a child.” Zelda smiled. “I’m used to having Zora live for more than 100 years, but to think that you and I are as old as the eldest of the Zora…” 

“It is strange.” Link agreed, his mind recoiling at the thought just as they reached the base of the waterfall. He turned to face Zelda. “Well, in any case, I don’t see why the memories of Mipha might upset you, but I hope it doesn’t trouble you too much.”

Zelda smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry about me. It’s just a bit… overwhelming.” 

Link chuckled. “You can say that again.”

 

The rest of the waterfalls weren’t a challenge for the two travelers, and they found themselves at the top of Ploymus Mountain in seconds. All they needed to do to get to the peak was climb around a bend and confront the Lynel that had made it’s home there. 

Without a word for fear of alerting the Lynel of their presence, Link and Zelda walked up and around, crouching low to the ground just before lifting themselves above the ridge. It looked like the mountain leveled out with the peak continuing up on the other side. 

Link looked at Zelda and nodded, and they both peaked to see if they could spot the Lynel. What Sidon had said about the monster being a “man-beast” was not a metaphor. The creature before them was literally half man, half horse, except he was gigantic, just short of the giant they had faced on their way to Zora’s Domain. However, that wasn’t the frightening thing about him. The man part of the beast had dark scarred skin, and his face resembled more of a monster than man. His eyes glowed a dim green, and a fierce mane of startling red hair that matched his tail surrounded his head with two long vicious looking horns coming out from his forehead. The only clothes the creature wore was a loin cloth with no armor to cover his bare chest, arms and legs. On his back was a large shield, bow, and a crude sword with a blade as large as Link. 

As quietly as he could, Link pulled out his own golden sword, not taking out his shield. His left arm was still sore from the stitches, and he didn’t want to irritate more than he already had. He began to move forward, but Zelda pulled him back down. 

“Wait-” She whispered, “Let’s not fight him if we don’t have to.” She pointed to a nearby tree next to a large boulder, which had four shock arrows sticking out of its trunk. More shock arrows stuck out of the ground around it that reminded Link again of the giant from their little “shortcut”. 

Link looked back at Zelda. “...Okay. Good idea.” He whispered back, glancing at the Lynel out of the corner of his eye. The beast began to walk to the left, with its back to them. As quietly as possible, Link and Zelda both scurried from their hiding place and hurried behind the boulder, picking up the shock arrows around them and pulling the ones out of the tree trunk. 

They had almost got all of them when Link tried to grab the last one from the trunk, but it wouldn’t budge. The Lynel was walking around the perimeter of the field, and he soon would be facing them. Heart rate increasing, Link pulled on the arrow harder, accidentally snapping it in half. The snap was loud and piercing, seemingly louder than an arrow would normally snap. The Lynel’s head snapped towards them, and Link instantly ducked behind the boulder, clutching onto the half he had snapped off. Zelda was next to him, closing her eyes as she leaned against the boulder. The sound of the Lynel’s hooves were soft and muffled, but Link could tell that he was coming towards them. 

Forcing himself to calm down and slow his breathing, Link listened for any sign that the Lynel had stopped moving. He had. Urging himself to look to see where the Lynel was, Link slowly turned and peaked just barely around the boulder. 

The Lynel had resumed its walk around the perimeter, seemingly having no interest in the sound anymore. Link breathed a sigh of relief, turning to Zelda and smiling, giving her a thumbs up. She smiled back, the expression strained and forced. 

The only hiding place closest to them was another boulder that was just ahead, so with one last look at the Lynel, Link and Zelda darted out from their safe haven and settled behind the other boulder. This time Zelda peaked around the boulder, and when she looked back at Link, she pointed to where the Lynel was. Link nodded and they darted again from their hiding spot, finding another boulder to wait behind. 

There were more shock arrows sticking out of the ground, and with every one that they came across, they snatched it up as quickly as possible. Soon they had 11 arrows in their arms, with the Lynel inching closer to them by the second. It was a miracle they hadn’t been discovered yet. 

But then, of course, their luck didn’t last long. The Lynel had made it to the first tree trunk and boulder they had hidden behind, and he stopped his patrol, leaning down to look at the snapped arrow that was still stuck in the tree. His nostrils flared and he straightened up, letting out a loud thunderous roar that shook the trees. Link and Zelda froze behind their boulder, both of their faces paling. The Lynel quickened his pace, scanning the fields for any more signs that there were intruders. 

The two Hylians looked around for the closest boulder or tree or anything that they could hide behind, but the boulder closest to them was almost ten feet away. The Lynel would surely see them if they tried to make a run for it. But what choice did they have? 

Situating themselves so that they could sprint as fast as possible, Link and Zelda glanced at each other, then sprinted for the boulder. Once behind the rock they stopped and froze, waiting for any sign that they had been seen. Remarkably, no sign from the Lynel came. The only sound was the clicks and clacks from the monsters hooves. 

Zelda was breathing hard, but she gave Link another nervous smile to let him know she was okay. Link nodded and turned away, looking around the boulder to see the Lynel. The monster had his bow out with three shock arrows strung, and he pointed the projectiles up into the air, stretched its arm back, and released the arrows straight up into the air. Link frowned in confusion, looking back at Zelda and seeing her stretching out her hand to grab another shock arrow close by. As her hand inched out towards the arrow, the hairs on the back of Link’s neck stood straight up, and it felt as if a lighting bolt was about to strike. Link’s stomach dropped in realization. “Zelda, wait!” He cried, grabbing her waist and tugging her back towards him. She yelped just as three shock arrows stabbed into the ground right where Zelda’s hand would’ve been hadn’t Link intervened. 

The Lynel instantly roared again, and Zelda scrambled off of Link in a panic. Link then heard the familiar twang of an arrow being released from a bow, and he grabbed Zelda’s arm and darted away from the boulder, three shock arrows landing right where they had been moments before. 

As Link glanced over his shoulder at the boulder, the Lynel was directly next to it, and he already had three more arrows strung again, pointed directly at them. “Run!” Link shouted, keeping his grip on Zelda’s arm as they sprinted away from the monster, zigzagging to make it harder for the creature to aim. 

Shock arrows continued to land at their feet, forcing them to run faster. Link tried to keep boulders and trees between them and the Lynel, but an arrow always seemed to find its target. 

As fast as possible, Link led Zelda behind another boulder to take a breath. “We need to get more shock arrows!” Zelda exclaimed. Link nodded looking around the boulder to find the Lynel stalking towards them with his sword and shield out. 

“What are we supposed to do?” He asked. 

“You distract the Lynel, and I’ll collect the arrows. Once I have twenty I’ll shout and we’ll escape.” Zelda hurriedly explains. 

Link glanced around the boulder once more before facing Zelda and nodding once more. “Alright. But be quick.” He said, gripping his sword before sprinting out from cover. The Lynel’s beady eyes instantly zeroed in on Link, before it bellowed in anger and raised its sword into the air, rearing up on its hind legs before crashing down and stabbing its sword into the ground, releasing a huge explosion of fire. Link instantly pulled out his shield, but the force of the impact still sent him flying, landing roughly onto the ground and sliding into a tree. 

Groaning, Link groggily sat up, his vision blurred and blinded from the pain. Just as his eyes refocused, he saw the Lynel preparing its sword to strike, just as Zelda began to yell and scream from the opposite side of the field, waving her arms and jumping up and down. She must have taken shelter behind the boulder from the explosion. 

The Lynel stopped its attack and whirled around, charging at Zelda, who tried to freeze the Lynel with the Stasis rune from the Sheikah Slate, but it only paused him for a second before the golden light shattered. Link quickly got up, keeping a hand on the tree to keep from falling over. As fast as possible, Link grabbed his bow and snatched a shock arrow from the ground, aiming towards the Lynel and releasing the projectile. 

The arrow whistled through the air and struck the Lynel in the back of the head, causing the beast to roar in agony and stumble to the ground, holding its head in one hand while the other rested on its sword. Without hesitation, Link sprinted towards the kneeling beast, shouting at Zelda to continue collecting shock arrows, before he jumped up and onto the back of the Lynel without a second thought.

Instantly the monster woke up from its stunned posture and began to buck, Link taking out his sword and stabbing again and again the the Lynel’s back. Feeling his grip slipping, Link quickly flipped backwards off of the Lynel just as it sprinted away from him, turning sharply around and charging at Link with its sword and shield out. Link focused in on the charging beast and flipped backwards once right as the monster swung his mighty sword. 

The Lynel dug his hooves into the ground, stopping abruptly due to surprise. Link took advantage of this, taking his sword out before he touched the ground and lounged at the monster, slashing at his legs and side. 

Growling in frustration and pain, the man-beast swung his arm back, ready to strike with his sword. Link saw this, but he was already mid stroke when the monster began its attack. Time seemed to slow as Link pulled his shield out right as the Lynel struck the metal, throwing Link back from the sheer force of the swing. 

Landing hard on his back once more, Link blinked away the spots in his eyes and weakly sat up. The Lynel's gaze burned with fury and ferocity as it stood and waited, sword and shield still out. 

Ignoring the searing pain in his stitched up arm, Link clambered back onto his feet, noticing the large dent in his shield and discarding it without a second thought. Now with only a sword, Link felt outmatched and defenseless. Which he was. 

Looking past the Lynel, Link saw Zelda pick up one last shock arrow before waving them frantically in the air. She had finally gathered twenty shock arrows. Now Link had to someone sidestep the Lynel, which was standing between him and Zelda, and he was blocking the only way back down the mountain. Link was stuck with the only way to go was up to the peak. 

Taking advantage of the small distraction, the Lynel suddenly charged at Link, who jumped to the side just in time before the monster spun and charged again, slightly to the other side of link, forcing him to jump diagonally up the peak. Link just barely gathered his senses when shock arrows landed right at his feet, the beast already knocking three more. In a moment of panic and desperation, Link sprinted diagonally up the peak, zigzagging to try to avoid the arrows. The projectiles landing at his feet every few seconds. 

Without Link realizing before it was too late, he found himself at the very top of the peak, glancing at a sign that said "JUMP AT YOUR OWN RISK!" Link quickly turned to face the Lynel, who had put his bow away and was smiling grotesquely. Link's stomach dropped as he glanced over his shoulder at the long long drop to the east reservoir below, then back again to the monster. He was leading me here the entire time like some sort of cattle! Link realized with a shock. 

Slowly, the Lynel pulled its sword out once more, not even bothering to grab its shield out. It took a warning step forward before it lounged at Link. 

Again, the air grew thick and tune seemed to stop as Link jumped to the side as the Lynel's momentum carried the beast forward. While in air, Link grabbed his sword out and slashed at one if the Lynel's legs, causing the man-beast to cry out and lose its footing, it giant monstrous body and weight carrying him over the edge of the peak and plunging down down below to certain death. 

Link rolled out if his jump and stood, hurrying to the edge of the cliff and looking down at the water below, the Lynel long gone. 

Smiling, Link placed his sword back in its sheath on his hip as he recalled an old rumor from his blurry past that water seemed to turn as hard as the ground when fallen upon from a great height. Glancing again at the warning sign, Link scoffed. "Jump at your own risk makes it sound like you might survive." He mumbled quietly to himself before turning and heading back down the peak, Zelda racing towards him in the near distance. 

 

Now armed with twenty shock arrows, Link and Zelda arrived at the East Reservoir, where Sidon stood with another Zora at the end of a single dock, both of them looking up at the great Divine Beast Vah Ruta. 

Link's gaze drifted upwards, and when it landed on the Divine Beast, his jaw dropped open in awe. He heard Zelda gasp beside him.

The great Beast was larger than anything Link could've ever imagined. It towered above them, the deep reservoir only lapping at its legs. The Beast itself was shaped like an elephant, with a long curved trunk that was spouting out water like one of the waterfalls Link and Zelda had to climb earlier.

But however grand and incredible the machine was, it looked and felt threatening and filled with malice, sending out an aura of uncontrollable grief with a dark undertone of endless anger, a deep bottomless pit that Link felt like he was staring straight into. Shaking the feeling, Link tore his eyes away from the behemoth and focused in on the two Zora before them, who had both already noticed them. 

"Link! Zelda!" Sidon cried out, holding out his arms in his usual over-the-top attitude as the two Hylians walked towards him. “Glad to see you’re ready to go!” 

The tall black Zora next to Sidon turned around, looking over Link and Zelda with an expressionless face. “Do you have enough shock arrows?” He asked, his eyes flicking to the bow hanging on Link’s back. 

Sidon smiled as he glanced over at the black Zora, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Allow me to introduce my friend. This is Tottika, and he is a close friend of mine! He’s one of our most skilled warriors, and he is willing to accept help from you Hylians!” Sidon explained excitedly, flexing his arm as he flashed a smile. “But, my friend here does pose an appropriate question. Do you have enough shock arrows?” 

Zelda nodded and smiled. “We’re ready.” 

“Wonderful!” Sidon exclaimed. “You Hylians never cease to amaze! Now then, let us go and appease that Divine Beast as one!” The Zora Prince looked over at his friend Tottika, who gave him a serious nod. Sidon turned back to Link and Zelda with a joyful grin. “Here we go!!” He cried, leaping into the air and twisting before splashing into the water. Tottika followed the same, but with less grandeur. The two Zora soon surfaced, and Sidon called out from the water. 

“Gaze now upon the Divine Beast’s back! Do you see those glowing, pink orbs? You, Link, will need to shoot each of them with a shock arrow! With your Zora armour, you now have the ability to ascend waterfalls, so I shall take you right up to the side of the Divine Beast, and from there you can swim up and take aim! I know you can do it, I believe in you!” Sidon then swam up close to the dock, Tottika following close behind. “Now then get on my back! Zelda, you may do the same with Tottika. Divine Beast Vah Ruta will surely react to our presence, and so it will undoubtedly use its ancient and mysterious powers against us… when that happens, Zelda and Tottika will draw its fire while Link and I get close enough to attack!

Link glanced at Zelda for a moment, who was already moving to climb onto Tottika. Link felt his face flush with embarrassment for a moment before he shook it off before getting onto Prince Sidon’s back. Sidon smiled brightly once both pairs were ready. “Let’s be off!” He cried out, instantly shooting forward in the water, Link losing his balance for a moment before he leaned forward and grasped onto the Zora’s shoulders. 

Riding on Sidon wasn’t like anything Link expected it to be. The Zora Prince was just as fast as Caviar sprinting on land, speeding through the water almost effortless. Tottika was just the same, keeping speed with Sidon with ease. “Hah! I am unstoppable in the water!” Sidon shouted confidently, and Link couldn’t help but agree. 

As they approached Divine Beast Vah Ruta, the great machine cried out and shook, churning the water violently around it. In response, Sidon turned away from the great machine while Tottika and Zelda continued forward. 

Vah Ruta cried out once more when suddenly three large cubes of ice appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the side of the Divine Beast. One of the cubes of ice broke away from  
the other two, slowly spinning towards Tottika and Zelda, a trail of blue light following close behind it. 

Tottika instantly turned away and began to swim quickly, leading the cube away from Sidon and Link, but the cube was slowly gaining on them. Right before the cube could hit them, however, Tottika leapt out of the water in a sharp turn, Zelda yelping from surprise. The large cube tried to turn to follow them, but it smashed into the water, promptly shattering to pieces. Instantly the second cube if the three broke away and began to chase them just as the previous one had before. 

"Looks like they've got that covered!" Sidon exclaimed and leapt forward, speeding towards the Divine Beast. Link hunched down close to the Zora Prince, watching Tottika trick the second cube into crashing into the water out of the corner of his eye. 

Sidon was almost to the nearest waterfall when the third cube broke away, but instead of hurtling itself towards Tottika and Zelda, it instead came spinning towards Sidon and Link. 

"Woah!" Sidon instantly spun around and sped away, but the cube was close on their tail. Link quickly situated himself so that he was backwards on Sidon but facing the cube, and with great struggle, he strung his bow and shot the cube, shattering it mid-air. "Nice one!" Sidon instantly praised. 

The Zora Prince then stopped abruptly once Link resituated himself and turned sharply, once again heading towards the Divine Beast now that all of the ice cubes had been destroyed.

Vah Ruta let out a loud elephant cry, its trunk lashing out just as Sidon came close to one of the waterfalls, bucking Link up and into the water. Link instantly began to swim up the narrow waterfall, his heart thumping with exhilaration as he burst out of the top. 

Just as his upward motion began to slow, Link pulled out his bow and strung a shock arrow, taking a breath before releasing the projectile just as he fell back down into the water. 

The Divine Beast soon cried out once more, a great flash coming from one of the pink orbs. Link resurfaced and climbed back up onto Sidon, just as the waterfall Link had just climbed up disappeared. "You've done it, Link!" Sidon proclaimed happily as he swam away back to safety, more cubes of ice spawning on Vah Ruta's side. "Now just three more to go!"

With anticipation, Link and Sidon watched Tottika and Zelda lead the ice cubes away, but once two were left, they both broke away at the same time, coming at the Princess and Zora from opposite sides. 

"Tottika won't be able to dodge both of those!" Link shouted. Sidon instantly launched forward, coming to Tottika's aid. 

However, Zelda raised the Sheikah Slate and pointed it towards one of the cubes, shattering it completely in a burst of blue light. She spun around to the other and did the same with the second, cheering once she realized that they were no longer in danger. 

Sidon swam right up to Tottika, both his and Link's jaws dropped low in surprise. "That was incredible!" Sidon praised. 

"How did you do that?" Link asked Zelda. 

She placed the Sheikah Slate back onto her hip as she replied. "Well, Impa told us that the Cryonis rune can create pillars of ice, so I figured… could it destroy ice too? I mean, we were kind of in a desperate situation. I didn't have much time to think." She explained. 

"This won't be a challenge any longer." Tottika stated bluntly. "You two attack the Beast and Zelda will disable the blocks of ice." 

A wide grin grew on Sidon's face. "Of course!" And with that, the Zora Prince turned and sped towards the Divine Beast. However this time, Tottika and Zelda were following close behind, with the Sheikah Slate clutched in one of Zelda's hands. 

Vah Ruta rumbled and cried out, creating double the amount of ice as before. Without hesitation, Zelda quickly held up the Slate towards the cubes, destroying each and every one. Sidon then led Link to the next waterfall, who climbed it and promptly shot the second pink orb. 

The third orb was deactivated easily, only leaving the fourth and final orb. After this, Link and Zelda would be able to enter into the Divine Beast and appease it from the inside. However, not everything always goes to plan. 

Vah Ruta had just summoned more ice cubes, with five of them being rounded with spikes. Zelda and Tottika promptly sped towards the projectiles and when Zelda began to destroy them, three of the spike balls broke off, and while Zelda destroyed two, the third swung around and smacked into them from behind, launching Zelda into the air and knocking Tottika unconscious. 

“Tottika Zelda no!” Sidon shouted, his voice piercing through the numb feeling that had gone over Link’s ears. The feeling was familiar. It was fear. 

Instantly, Sidon sped towards Tottika’s unconscious form that floated in the water, with Zelda swimming towards them to meet them. She was breathing heavily and coughing, some of the water having gotten caught in her throat from her sudden dunk into the reservoir. 

Once Sidon stopped by Tottika, Link got off so that Sidon could carry Tottika to shore. “Zelda, are you okay?” Link asked frantically, just as Sidon left with Tottika. 

Zelda nodded, coughing once more before replying. “Yes, yes I’m fine.” Her voice clogged up on the last word and she coughed again, the force of the action sending her underwater, with Link hurriedly pulling her back up. 

“Link! Zelda! Watch out!” Sidon suddenly shouted, making Link and Zelda spin frantically towards the Divine Beast. 

While Sidon had swam away, leaving Link and Zelda to tread in the cold water, Vah Ruta had created five more spike balls, with three of them already skimming across the surface towards them. 

Frantically, Zelda pulled out her Sheikah Slate, struggling to stay above water. Sidon was racing back towards them, with Tottika lying on the dock, but he wouldn’t make it to them in time. 

Zelda quickly destroyed one of the ice balls, but the other two were only a couple of feet away. Heart pounding, Link watched as Zelda destroyed the second, but she was too late for the third. 

However, before Link could even begin to think about how much the ice ball would hurt slamming into them, he suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around his waist and pull him under the water, the cold water enveloping his head just as the ice ball smashed into the surface. 

Looking over his shoulder, Link saw Zelda desperately clinging onto him, her eyes squeezed shut and her cheeks bulging from trapped air. Link waited for her to let go to allow them to swim back up, but soon his lungs began to burn for air as he hadn’t had time to take a breath before going under. 

Trying to restrain his bodily panic, Link pried Zelda’s arms off of him, and with a kick of his legs, brought their heads back to breathable air. Both he and Zelda gasped for air as they wildly looked around for any danger, before realizing that nothing seemed to threaten them. Sidon had just swam up to them, his eyes wide from panic. 

“You’re okay!” He exclaimed, smiling wide as Zelda wiped the water from her eyes before opening them. “Zelda, what you did was extremely wise and admirable!” 

Zelda smiled, her lips slightly purple from the cold of the water. “Thanks, Sidon.” She said sincerely. “But you need to take Link to the final waterfall so that he can finish Vah Ruta off. I’ll swim back to the dock, don’t worry about me.” 

Sidon nodded, and before Link could get his say into the matter, Sidon swam underneath him and lifted up, forcing him onto his back before speeding away. They had to get to the waterfall before Vah Ruta could create any more ice from it’s ancient power. Link looked over his shoulder to see Zelda beginning to swim back to the dock. Tottika however didn’t appear to be moving. Worrying gnawing on his stomach, Link turned back to find the waterfall a second away. 

“It’s all you!” Sidon said loudly, launching Link into the waterfall. 

It was over in the blink of an eye. Link burst out of the water and shot the pink orb, the giant Divine Beast crying out in response as he landed back into the reservoir. 

Quickly, Link climbed onto Sidon and they sped away towards the dock as the Divine Beast rumbled with anger and pain, it’s giant trunk falling with a gigantic splash, the water that was spewing from it completely stopping. Soon, the storm clouds high in the sky slowly dispersed, clearing away the rain and allowing the noon day sun to shine through, illuminating the reservoir and the Divine Beast in a glorious light. 

Now on the dock, Sidon knelt by Tottika just as the Zora was beginning to stir, pointing at Vah Ruta. “Look! The water spouting from Ruta has slowed down!” Suddenly, with a great shake, the Divine Beast began to rise, a latch on the side opening to reveal a way in. "Ruta is floating higher now! You two wanted to venture inside it, right?"

Tottika then mumbled something incoherent and his eyes sluggishly opened, his eyes unfocused. "Looks like Tottika won't be swimming for a while. I'll bring both of you closer." 

"Thank you, Sidon." Zelda said again, smiling weakly as Sidon got back into the water. Zelda climbed on first, and Link got on second. Sidon struggled for a moment to stay above water, but he managed to swim forward towards the now opened Divine Beast. 

As they approached the opening, the water eerily calm, Sidon got more comfortable with the extra load. "Well, this is where the real work starts. Best of luck." He said in a low tone voice, glancing over his shoulder for just a moment. Link and Zelda stayed quiet, adding to the thick silence that surrounded them, a sharp contrast from the roaring waterfalls and pounding rain that had hammered at them just moments before. 

The trip didn't take long, and Sidon moved to the side, allowing Link and Zelda to climb onto the rounded dock that had fallen from the side of Vah Ruta. The two Hylians turned to face the Zora Prince, who raised his fist in his familiar gesture, however this time, no cheeky smile accompanied it. 

"Show the enemy no fear. I'll see you two back at Zora's Domain. Farewell." The Zora said softly, which seemed off character for the flamboyant Prince. 

With a loud rumble, the dock suddenly began to rise. Causing Link and Zelda to stumble for a moment. Sidon, still facing them, swam slowly away to avoid any dangers, looking up at them with a solemn yet hopeful expression. 

The Divine Beast soon stopped its ascent, now towering at it's full height above the reservoir. Zelda crept to the edge of the dock and looked over, her mouth slightly open from awe as she turned to Link. 

Both of them shared a silent nod of agreement before turning towards the opening of the hollow Divine Beast. I cold breeze wafted towards them, even though inside Ruta was sheltered. Link shuddered as the two Hylians both stepped forward. The Zora Prince had indeed been correct. 

This is where the real work starts. And what a job it'll be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You did it! :D Thank you for reading this new chapter of Hyrule's Light! As you could probably tell, I took a few creative liberties with Tottika, as in the game he's just your average NPC, but I wanted to poke a little fun at the difference between him and Sidon.
> 
> It was also really fun to write his monotone character believe it or not XD


	10. The Cleansing of Vah Ruta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, after ages of not writing and feeling guilty and blegh because of not writing, I've got chapter 10 done and published! Hopefully ya'll enjoy! (Sorry for the long wait I really didn't forget I promise you that!)

The Divine Beast Vah Ruta. A great behemoth that portrays just how far the ancient Sheikah had come with their mystical technology before the world was left to ruin. Now, the rot of time has seeped into the beast itself, leaving a vacant stale breeze to waft through the echoing rooms.

That’s all Link could feel as he and Zelda entered into their first real challenge. At least, that’s what it felt like. If cleansing this beast proved to be harder than fighting the Lynel or even that giant during their little “shortcut”, then Link already felt hopeless. 

But just as they began through the large entrance, a soft voice suddenly began to speak to them, making Link’s heart jump and then sink into nauseating grief. 

“You’re here.” It whispered.

It was Mipha.

“I must say…” she continued, “that I am so happy to see that this day has finally arrived.” 

Link suddenly felt cold and numb, as he realized that Mipha had been suffering in this tomb for 100 years while he and Zelda slept peacefully. 

“Now Ruta can be freed of Ganon’s control.” 

But what about you, Mipha? Link thought even as the Zora Princess continued to speak. 

“Ruta has five terminals that, by cleansing them, will take her back from Ganon. Please… seek them out, and reactivate them. I believe in you, but… be careful.” With a soft echo, Mipha’s voice faded, the hopeless wind returning with seemingly renewed vigor. 

Zelda was the first to break the silence. “She’s… here.” She said quietly, looking upwards with reverent awe, tainted with a bit of sadness. “She really is here, in spirit…”

“We need to free her.” Link stated, determined. He was not going to let Mipha suffer anymore. “Just like she said, we need to find these terminals and reactivate them.” 

Zelda looked at Link, recollected herself, and nodded in agreement, her mouth set in a firm line. She looked around the large room of the Divine Beast, smiling when her eyes found something. “There’s one there!” She exclaimed, rushing towards a strange structure that reminded Link of the one that was in Purah’s ancient lab, which had given them the runes on the Sheikah Slate. However, this one was not hanging from the ceiling. Instead, it was pointing upwards like a spire, with one of those structures that had opened up the Shrine of Resurrection. 

On instinct, Zelda trotted up to the terminal and grabbed the Sheikah Slate, promptly placing it onto the structure, that blinked a brilliant blue that lifted up to the spire, illuminating the entire terminal. A small robotic voice emanated from the spire, saying, “Sheikah Slate authenticated.” 

Zelda smiled in triumph and placed the Sheikah Slate back onto her hip, jumping in surprise when Mipha’s voice spoke to them once more. 

“You did it! There are four terminals remaining. Don’t give up!” She cried, quickly disappearing once more. 

Turning to Link, Zelda smiled sadly at the reminder that Mipha was still suffering, even if they were here. “That wasn’t too bad.” She said, laughing nervously. 

Link smiled in return. “Hopefully these other four will be the same.”

They turned in sync, walking away from the terminal when a strange click clack sound emanated from their left. The spun towards the sound, Link instantly pulling out his sword when a little robotic spider-looking teacher entered from an opening on the opposite side of the room. It was glowing an ominous pink color, just like Vah Ruta, and it looked vaguely like the dead, rusted guardian that they had seen at the Proxim Bridge, except this one was very much alive. 

Once it’s single hypnotic eye spotted them, it’s top half raised up, relieving a little sharp arm with a glowing blue sword with tendrils of light spiraling off of it. It instantly began to crawl towards them at an alarming speed, causing Link to jump in front of Zelda and slash at the robot, cutting off it’s arm. Then, with a single swift motion, he stabbed his golden sword straight into the eye of the mini guardian, causing it to blink a few times like it was gasping for breath, before it collapsed in defeat, the pink light fading into nothing. 

Link allowed himself a small smile of victory before he put his sword away, Zelda instantly pushing past to take a look at the now dead guardian. “Wow…” She sighed in amazement, lifting up one of its limp legs. “Do you think we’ll see more of these?” She asked, before jumping back in surprise as the guardian suddenly exploded into bits. 

“Well, we won’t be seeing more of that one that’s for sure.” Link stated bluntly, receiving a laugh from Zelda. 

The next terminal was easy enough to find, with another one of those mini guardians standing in front of it, in which Zelda froze with the stasis rune and Link promptly destroyed with another stab into its eye. After reactivating the terminal, Mipha spoke to them once more, encouraging them to find the next three. 

They searched around the Divine Beast, entering into the largest room they had seen. It had two giant gears slowly turning with the push of a mini waterfall to their right. In the center of the bigger of the two gears was one of the terminals, calling out to them like it was some sacred treasure. 

Link and Zelda approached the giant gear in awe, with Zelda more amazed then Link. The structure was impressive, but Link didn’t think it was as beautiful as a peaceful sunrise, or the elegant view that had greeted them once they first stepped out of the Shrine of Resurrection. However, especially in his memories, Zelda appeared to have a firm love in the mechanics and technology of the Sheikah. 

“How are we supposed to get to the terminal if it’s spinning?” Link asked Zelda, who he assumed had the answer. 

Zelda didn’t answer. Instead, she looked over the two gears with a thoughtful expression, taking the Sheikah Slate from her hip and turning it over in her hands as she pondered the situation. Her head turned towards the small waterfall that was pushing the two gears, and she smiled as if a drape had been torn from a window, letting golden light flood in. 

She hurried over to the waterfall, selecting the Cyonis rune and pointing towards the waterfall, when, in a flash of blue light, an ice pillar grew from the waterfall, blocking the water flow. As if on command, the two gears slowed to a stop, with one problem. The giant gear that held the terminal had stopped with the structure upside down. They wouldn’t be able to reach the terminal and activate it. 

“You’ve got the right idea.” Link said with a smirk. 

Zelda smirked back. “At least I had an idea.” 

And with that, she promptly broke the ice pillar and waited for the gears to turn, until she hurriedly created another pillar just as the terminal was on the bottom. With the smirk still clear on her face, Zelda ran over to the terminal and quickly activated it, turning to Link with a victorious smile. 

“Only two terminals remaining! I have faith in you!” Mipha exclaimed, her voice sounding happier then when they had first entered into the Divine Beast. Link smiled at the sound of it, his mind flooding with more memories of him and the Zora Princess. He turned to Zelda, who quickly looked away. Even though she acted like she hadn’t, Link knew that she was watching his reaction to hearing Mipha. 

The next terminal after that was easy enough, with another simple puzzle that Zelda had solved without hesitation. Link felt slightly useless in the Divine Beast, as the only enemies were those little robots and piles of a dark toxic substance that had giant orange eyeballs that when cut down, eliminated that specific pool. Despite that, he felt a great evil looming around them, so he kept his sword out at all times. 

Now, they only had one terminal left. They had looked everywhere in the giant Beast, but they couldn’t find it anywhere, often walking in circles. Link was beginning to get frustrated. “Where in the Goddess Hylia could that terminal be? It’s not that small!” He said loudly, scowling at the giant gear where the other terminal had been, which was now spinning once more, as Zelda had destroyed the ice block that had stemmed the water flow. 

Zelda sighed and placed her hands on her hips. “You’re right, they are quite sizable.” She agreed. “Maybe it’s on the outside?” 

Link shrugged. “You’re the one with the brain.” 

And with that, they walked in through one of the openings, Zelda shivering slightly from the crisp breeze. Link looked up at the sky, surprised to find the sun had already descended behind the mountain, marking late afternoon. 

The two Hylians silently looked around the exterior of the Divine Beast, finding nothing. Zelda looked over at Link with a frustrated look, but she smiled slightly. “It’s not out here.” She said. 

“Really?” Link replied sarcastically. In response, Zelda rolled her eyes with the smile still on her face and turned on her heel, walking back inside Vah Ruta. Link followed her, sheathing his sword. 

As they wandered through the giant behemoth of Sheikah technology, they came towards the head, swimming up a short waterfall so that they were a level higher. They had already been over here, but Zelda suddenly stuck out her arm and stopped Link from walking away. 

“Hey, we haven’t been through there yet.” She said with a hint of excitement, pointing to an opening that was just straight ahead. 

“That’s because out there is the trunk.” Link stated.

Zelda smiled. “Exactly.” 

Link realized with a start exactly what she was inclining. “You think there’s a terminal out there?” 

“Only one way to find out.”

They both nodded and walked through the opening, carefully jumping down onto the trunk with each others help. The trunk was curved slowly upwards, with water pouring very slowly from the spout. Luckily, the trunk itself was very wide, with plenty of room for both Link and Zelda. It also had a bunch of indents where the trunk could bed, making it easy to keep a good grip. 

Both of them determined, Link and Zelda started forward, cautiously walking along the trunk. As it slowly began to incline, Zelda went in front of Link so that they were going along single file to let them have more room in case one of them slipped. 

The trunk continued to gradually get steeper and steeper, making it harder to keep a good grip. Link found himself slipping just a few inches multiple times, and he noticed Zelda was struggling as well. Soon the trunk was directly vertical, with the top just a few feet away. Zelda was trying to reach up to the ridge, but her fingers were only barely brushing the edge. She glanced down at Link, who gave her an encouraging nod. 

Steeling herself, Zelda bent her knees just slightly, before jumping up and grabbing onto the ridge above, her feet frantically scraping at the vertical trunk to scramble up and onto the ledge. Link quickly got up underneath Zelda and grabbed at her ankles, helping her up. She then scrambled up onto the ledge, when Link heard her cry out in joy. 

“It’s up here! The terminal!” 

Link smiled. “Hurry and activate it then!” He replied. 

There was silence for a moment before Mipha’s voice cut through, congratulating them and telling them that the last thing they needed to do was activate the main control unit. After Mipha’s voice faded out, Link called out to Zelda. 

“You can come down now! I’ll help you!” 

Zelda’s head appeared over the edge. “Don’t let me fall.” She said with a smile, turning and slowly lowering herself from the ledge. Link set his feet firm on the trunk and reached up, gently grabbing Zelda’s waist and guiding her down onto the trunk as well. 

However, as Zelda’s second foot touched onto the trunk, it slipped, the rest of her body immediately following. In the blink of an eye, Link reached out with his right hand, catching her as she slid down the side of the trunk, with the rest of her body dangling over the East Reservoir far below. 

Zelda looked down beneath her and back up at Link, her eyes wide with panic. “Pull me back up!” She said frantically, her voice losing its authority due to fear. 

Link crouched down and grabbed her arm with both of his hands, pulling upwards with all of his strength. His stitched up arm suddenly seared with pain, causing Link to cry out and let go with one arm, causing him to stumble forward. Heart leaping into his throat, Link scurried backwards, struggling to keep his balance as he pulled Zelda’s upper half onto the trunk. She instantly grabbed onto the dips and bumps of the giant trunk, pulling herself up as Link continued to help her, now standing onto the side to give her more room. 

Soon they were both safe once more, with both of them pale-faced and panting. “Heh.. watch your step.” Link joked weakly, giving Zelda a wobbly smile. 

Zelda returned the gesture with a sharp glare that quickly dissolved as she laughed. “Thanks for catching me.” She said honestly. 

With a large grin, Link nodded. “What are knights for?” He shrugged as if it was nothing before his expression turned more serious with a hint of excitement. “Now let's get to that control unit.” 

Zelda gave Link a firm nod and they were off, helping each other carefully across the trunk before they back into the Divine Beast. As soon as they were on firm ground, they both broke into a run towards the large room that contained the main control unit that Mipha had directed them to. They burst through the opening, gazing upon the large unit with wide eyes. 

The structure was towards the end of the large circular room, with a hard floor covered with a thin layer of water. The unit itself was bigger than the terminals, and it was pulsing a startling orange like a dying heart. The two Hylians slowly approached the structure, with Zelda pulling out her Sheikah Slate while Link readied his sword. 

Zelda cautiously raised her arm towards the unit that was only a few feet away, placing the Sheikah Slate on one of the structures that was just like the ones on the terminals. However, just as the Slate tapped onto the surface, a sudden eruption of black and pink smoke exploded from the unit, causing Zelda to stumble backwards the the entire control unit was engulfed with the swirling malice. 

Link instantly leapt in front of Zelda, holding out his sword towards the smoke when strings of blue light drifted from it, floating right past them. They both turned, watching with open mouths as the strands of blue light gathered into a strange pulsing blue ball before slowly forming a strange figure. An arm came from the figure, the light fading to reveal a skeletal-like arm with a giant glowing blue spear as a hand. Next, the other arm formed, claw-tipped fingers curling like a spider’s legs, and finally the rest of the grotesque monster. It had a single pulsing blue eye, centered on some strange looking Sheikah Tech shaped like a hammerhead shark. It had no legs, with an insect like body that levitated off of the ground. 

The horrifying monster let out a blood curdling screech, rearing back its nasty head as fiery red hair fell from its skull. It was a terrible beast made from scraps of Sheikah Tech and swirling festering malice. 

Mipha’s voice suddenly entered the room as the beast curved it’s back, twitching uncontrollably as it’s single blue eye stayed locked on Link and Zelda. “Please take care…” The Zora Princess’ voice said, even as the monster began to growl, “That… thing is one of Ganon’s creations. I put up as much of a fight as I could, but it proved to be my demise 100 years ago… Regardless… I believe that you are well prepared for this moment. I have faith in you!” 

The monster swept it’s giant speer across the room, it’s growling growing in volume as it crouched down in preparation to fight. Link bent his knees, staring at the monster with a fierce gaze of determination. He glanced at Zelda for just a moment, who had a startling fire that sent a shock through him, a vague memory of her yelling at him with that same anger in her gaze hovering in the back of his head. He forced the feeling away as Zelda looked at him, smiling and giving him a thumbs up as her other hand gripped the Sheikah Slate. Link smiled back and turned towards the monster once more, who continued to twitch while it’s head stayed in the same place. The time to avenge Mipha was now. 

Immediately the monster shrieked and moved his arm back, the spear pointed straight for Link and Zelda. Instantly, Link and Zelda split, running opposite ways right as the monster lunged forward, his spear striking forward right where Link and Zelda had been moments before. The force of the strike sent water spraying in all directions, immediately soaking both of the Hylians. 

Just as Link wiped the water from his eyes, the monster was already starting to swing his spear in a wide arc above the water. Link quickly jumped backwards, the tip of the weapon just barely missing his chest. Zelda did the same, immediately looking at Link to see if he was okay. Giving Zelda a thumbs up, Link then charged towards the monster, sword held out. He got underneath the hideous thing, swiping his sword against its lower body. Shrieking in outrage, the monster spun, swinging his spear around maniacally. Link stayed underneath the monster in its blind spot, ducking low to dodge the long spear. 

Soon the monster stopped spinning, and suddenly froze in a burst of golden light, the golden chains of the stasis rune flashing in the air. Link glanced at Zelda to see her pointing the Sheikah Slate at the monster, her confident smile fading as the frozen figure started to blink, gaining speed until it broke free, letting out a shrill shriek that caused Link and Zelda to cover their ears. 

The monster finally stopped to shriek, and as Link looked up, the monster was rising, situating his spear in a way that was preparing to stab directly downward right where Link was currently standing. Link’s eyes widened and he began to scramble away, turning and sprinting as the monster stabbed his spear into the ground. A huge shockwave erupted from the impact, hitting Link in the back and sending him flying. Zelda screamed his name and began to run towards him, where he was slowly getting onto his hands and knees. 

“Are you okay?” Zelda asked hurriedly. 

Link gritted his teeth in frustration and pain as he stood, shaking his head as if to reset himself. “Yeah, yeah I’m good.” He replied quietly, his words becoming enveloped with his hard breathing. 

Zelda then looked up at the monster and gasped, slamming hard into Link and shoving both of them to the ground just as the giant blue spear flew directly over their heads, planting itself into the wall of the room. 

Link groaned as Zelda climbed off of them. “Am I good to get up now?” He joked. Zelda grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the spear in response, giving him a scornful look. 

“This isn’t the time for jokes.” She said curtly. 

The spear, now behind them, suddenly vanished in blue sparks before reappearing in the monsters grasp, the single eye burning with unbridled anger. Link glared directly at the thing, turning to Zelda. “It’s time we end this.” He stated. 

“I’ll freeze him again, but it’ll only last for a few seconds.” She said, both of them quickly sprinting to the side as the spear landed by them again, bursting into sparks once more. 

They stopped running as Link replied. “Alright.” He agreed, bending his knees to prepare himself to run and attack. Zelda then raised her Sheikah Slate to the monster and froze him, the familiar chains flashing in air. Immediately the now frozen monster began to blink, and Link sprinted towards it. Right as the monster broke free, Link slashed at it again and again, causing liquid like malice to seep from its wounds. The monster shrieked in agonizing pain, suddenly turning blue and turning into the same orb from before. 

“Now what?” Zelda asked, exasperated, as the orb hovered for a moment before flying above the main control unit, the monsters disfigured body reforming and flipping over so  
that it was in a crawl-like position above the unit. It growled menacingly, its free hand beginning to glow a light blue. It raised its arm in triumphance, a horrifying glint in its eye. 

Suddenly, the water began to rise, with four platforms rising as well. Link and Zelda immediately raced to one of the platforms, the water quickly lifting them off of the ground, causing them to swim as the monster’s growling grew louder and louder. 

Just as Link and Zelda climbed onto one of the platforms, the monster transformed into the orb and flew across the room, appearing over the platform across from the one Link and Zelda were standing on. It’s free hand immediately started to glow blue once more, and it raised it again, a block of ice identical to Vah Ruta’s now hovering in front of it. It pushed the block forward, and the ice slowly began to spiral towards Link and Zelda. Zelda instantly jumped in front of Link and held the Sheikah Slate up to the ice, shattering it with ease. 

With the monster taken aback from the ease that Zelda had dismantled its attack, Link took the opportunity and strung his bow with a shock arrow, releasing the projectile directly into the creature’s eye. Shrieking in pain, the monster collapsed onto the platform. Instantly Link jumped off of the platform, swimming to the other platform with a powerful kick. Once he was back on his feet, Link then took out his sword and sliced at the monster over and over again. 

Finally the creature turned into the orb and flew diagonal across the room. It reformed and created three ice blocks, in which Zelda promptly destroyed. Link then shot the monster in the eye once more, diving into the water as it once again collapsed onto the platform. 

As Link climbed onto the platform, however, the monster had already recovered from the shock of the arrow. It cried out in anger and raised its spear, lunging it downwards directly at Link. 

“Link!” Zelda shouted, freezing the monster with her stasis rune inches before the spear had reached Link. Scrambling away, Link dove into the water and began to swim away, just as the spear suddenly flew by him into the water, slicing a deep slash into his leg. The pain was immediate, but nothing worse than he had ever felt before. Swimming frantically, Link climbed onto the platform he had been moments before, glancing at his wound. It was bleeding terribly, but only because it was a surface wound, thankfully. 

Link looked back up at the monster which had just reappeared over Zelda, raising its spear just as it had done with Link. “Zelda look out!” Link cried, stringing his bow and letting loose an arrow. He missed the monster’s eye, however, and the arrow seemed to hardly do anything. The monster than let out a shriek and stabbed its spear downward, just as Zelda dove into the water. 

She quickly resurfaced halfway between the two platforms, gasping and swimming with renewed vigor as the monster readied to throw its spear once again. “Oh no you don’t.” Link growled, stringing his bow once more and leasing an arrow, this time piercing the monsters eye almost perfectly. Zelda then resurfaced right by the platform’s edge, and Link quickly helped her up as the monster shook off its pain. 

“We’re sitting Cuccos like this.” Zelda said between deep gasping breaths. 

“I know, but I don’t know how much this monster can take anymore.” Link replied confidently. “If we just keep attacking-”

“No that’s not going to work!” Zelda interrupted. She looked over her shoulder at the disgusting creature, a peculiar look in her eyes. “I have to do what Impa said. I have to use my sealing power.” 

Link stared at Zelda before hurriedly shooting the monster in the eye once more as it had begun to recover. “But you haven’t used it in 100 years!”

Zelda winced as if Link’s words had physically hurt her. “I know, but… what other way can we cleanse Ruta?” 

“Well… alright. I’m with you either way.” Link said hesitantly at first. He smiled. “I’ll hold the monster off while you work on summoning your magic.” 

Zelda smiled in return and nodded. Link then looked up at the monster, who had just turned into the orb again. Link readied himself to drag Zelda with him into the water if the monster came to their platform, but instead it went to the one directly across from them. Link strung another shock arrow as the creature reformed. It instantly created five ice blocks, in which Zelda shattered them with her Sheikah Slate. 

Link pulled back his bow and shot an arrow, however before it even touched the beast it slid to the side, dodging the projectile. “Huh. That’s new.” Link mumbled to himself. He strung another arrow and shot it, but the monster dodged it once again. Becoming frustrated, Link shot two rapidly right after each other, with one scraping the monsters shoulder. Unfazed, the creature summoned five more ice blocks. Link glanced at Zelda, who was raising her Sheikah Slate. Without hesitation, Link dove into the water as Zelda destroyed the ice blocks. If the monster now knew how and when to dodge his arrows, then Link would try something else. 

He surfaced and climbed onto the platform underneath the monster, who instantly began to ready his spear. Quickly, Link strung and arrow and shot it directly upwards into the monsters eye, jumping back a little ways as the monster fell down onto the platform. Link then attacked the monster with aggression, hoping to finish it off. After a series of blows, Link took a few steps back and ran at the monster, stepping onto part of its body to leap into the air, intending to stab the thing in its startling blue eye. 

Just as Link began to fall down towards his finishing blow, the monster suddenly spun, hitting Link in the chest with the flat end of its spear, knocking him far into the water, his head smacking against the platform diagonal from the one the creature hovered over. 

Blinding pain erupted in Link’s skull and chest as he fell into the water, and he struggled to stay conscious as he sunk towards the bottom in a daze. He felt the precious air leave his lungs, leaving them starving for release. His mind was slipping into the dark, and he was about to accept it when he felt arms wrap around him and pull him upwards. It was Zelda. She pulled him out of the water and onto the platform, and Link instantly went into a paroxysm of coughing, spitting out the water from his lungs. 

Zelda was about to open her mouth, most likely to ask if he was okay, when the monster shrieked and prepared to throw its spear once more. With a sudden intense fiery look in her eyes, Zelda promptly stood and raised her right hand just as the monster threw its spear. 

It never reached its target. Just as the spear was an inch away, it stopped as an explosion of golden light erupted from Zelda’s held out palm, the familiar shape of the triforce glowing on the back of her hand as the light blew through the spear and engulfed the beast. It screamed horribly, its body turning to ashes from the force of the light. Link squinted his eyes from the brilliant sight, his vision threatening to go out entirely. However, the golden light was gone just as fast as it had come, leaving the room appearing to be darker than it was before. The water was also gone, the platforms having been lowered back to their original state. Now all that was left was the main control unit blinking a weak orange color.

Zelda stared at her hand as she slowly lowered it, the triforce fading without a sound. “It’s back…” she murmured to herself before whirling around and kneeling down next to Link. “Link! Link are you okay?” 

Link gaped in return. He slowly got up from the ground, leaning back on his elbows, his head spinning. “That… that was… incredible.” He stated, his voice giving out on the last word. “Zelda, you did it! You cleansed Ruta!” He gave her a wide smile, laughing with relief. 

Zelda smiled brightly in return. “It wasn’t just me.” She pointed out, helping Link stand and steadying him as he swayed. “Now let's activate the control unit and finish this for good.”

As they walked towards the unit, with Zelda still supporting Link, he shook his head and chuckled. “Zelda I’m not joking.” He said seriously. “If I had known you held that much power in you before, I would’ve been afraid to ride on the same horse as you.” 

Zelda’s smile grew and she laughed. “You give me too much credit.”

Link rolled his eyes, deciding to give it up. Secretly, however, he knew that Zelda was beaming with pride. He could see it in her eyes. 

They both reached the main control unit, and Zelda let go of Link to activate with the Sheikah Slate. Link watched as she placed the Slate on the structure, the entire unit flashing a cool blue before returning to its slow blinking, with the color staying as that same blue. 

“One down, three to go.” Link joked, even though it was entirely true. Zelda sighed and nodded, turning around to face him again. 

“Hello Princess, Link.” A soft voice suddenly spoke, causing Link and Zelda to spin towards its source. They both gasped in unison. 

It was Mipha. The Zora Princess. She regarded them with a somber yet grateful gaze, soft green flames circling her as they had done to King Rhoam. “Because of your courage and wisdom, my spirit is now free, and Ruta as well. Thank you… for I am now allowed by this freedom… to be with you once again.” She said calmly, looking directly at Link. Zelda glanced at Link before looking back at her, her eyes falling to the ground with something that looked like guilt. 

Link didn’t know what to say. This was Mipha, standing just on the other side of the room. “Mipha… I…” He began, his voice trailing away helplessly. 

Mipha regarded Link with hopeful eyes, but when Link didn’t say anything else, the hope fell and she stepped forward. “Since I am now a spirit, I cannot stay with you for long. I wish I could do more, but with my healing grace, I can at least heal your wounds wrought by Ganon’s puppet.” She then held her hands over her heart, inhaling deeply before exhaling, pointing her palms towards Link and Zelda. A low glowing light circled around Link and Zelda, emanating from Mipha. It lifted them off of the ground very slightly, circling around the main areas of pain. 

Link immediately felt better, and as the light fade and they landed on the ground once more, Link found that his head no longer spun and the wound on his leg was completely gone. He gasped softly and quickly undid the bandage around his forearm, finding the stitches and any trace of the gash gone. Link’s head snapped back up at Mipha, his heart aching. There was nothing more he could do for her, and yet, even in death, she was still willing to heal his wounds. He was at a loss for words. 

“Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears.” Mipha began again, “I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here. All this time, my hope… was to see you once more. And even though I am gone, I promise you that I will watch over your journey, and I will assist you when needed. I…” She paused, clasping her hands in front of her and looking at the ground. “I must go.” She stated, just green light began to emanate from Link and Zelda. “Ruta and I have our roles to fulfill. We are both honored to be able to play the role of support. We’ll annihilate Ganon together.” She said with a small smile, bringing her hands over her heart once more. 

“Farewell.” She nodded her head as the light around the two Hylians began to grow in strength. 

“W-wait!” Link cried out, reaching his hand out towards Mipha just as the light blinded him, seconds later fading into nothing. Link slowly opened his eyes, startled to find himself staring up at Mipha’s statue in Zora’s Domain. Zelda was standing directly next to him, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face her. There were no words spoken as they looked into each other’s eyes when she pulled him into a firm hug. Link gladly wrapped his arms around her, letting the tears that had gathered fall down his cheeks without restraint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got really emotional writing the end of this chapter, haha. I may not ship Link and Mipha, but I still love her and her story is utterly heartbreaking! Anyhoo, I'll start working on the next chapter, but I'm not going to make any promises on when it'll be done. School is tough, as I'm sure many of you know! 
> 
> Also, I recently created my first and only Instagram account! It basically has some chalk drawings that I do for fun, since that's the only way I can draw without it looking like trash XD My username is livy.chalks if you want to go give me a follow!


	11. Onward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Eleven! Woohoo!

Finally when Link and Zelda separated from their embrace, Link hastily wiped the tears from his face and looked up at Mipha’s statue. The morning sun had just begun to rise over the tall mountains surrounding the Domain, casting the statue in a dim milky light.

Zelda watched him for a moment before their eyes connected once more. “You… really care for Mipha… don’t you.” 

Link sighed heavily. “I guess I do.” He said weakly, clearing his throat when his voice gave out. “I finally remember everything we did together and how many times she healed me… In most cases I would be happy, but…” He let out a sarcastic snort. “In this case it only hurts.” 

“You know… I might not have had a connection to Mipha like you, but-”

The loud familiar cry of Vah Ruta cut into Zelda’s sentence, causing both of them to whirl around to face a flat topped mountain. The great Divine Beast suddenly rose mightily from behind it, its trunk swinging upwards with a triumphant war cry. It landed heavily onto the mountain, situating itself firmly before shooting a sudden red laser directly at Hyrule Castle days away. 

With wide hopeful eyes, Link searched the Divine Beast for any sign of Mipha, and he gasped when a dim figure appeared on top of the elephant. He smiled as he watched the figure stand still for a moment before slowly fading away into blinking green dots, which Link guessed were the flames that encircled the spirits. 

“Ruta is attacking Ganon!” Zelda exclaimed in realization, turning to Link with an excited expression. “Do you think it’s draining its power? Maybe it’s weakening it!”  

“I’m sure Mipha is doing everything in her power to buy us time.” Link replied with a more reverent tone. “She did promise she was going to do everything she could to assist us.” 

Zelda nodded. “Well looks like she’s certainly keeping her promise.” 

“Link! Zelda!” Sidon suddenly called out to them, looking down from above the balcony that circled around Mipha’s statue. “You did it! You appeased the Divine Beast! We must tell my father the great news!” 

 

Before they knew it, Link and Zelda were standing before King Dorephan, who chuckled deeply once they had finished relaying their success. All of the Zora had also gathered behind them, cheering ecstatically as well before quieting down as the King began to speak. 

“Princess Zelda, Hyrule Champion, you did well to survive your trial! The violent downpour has disappeared, as has the threat to Zora’s Domain! It is little more than a bad dream now. Thanks to your efforts, there is no longer any danger of a great flood laying waste to Hyrule!" Another cheer rose from the crowd before the King quieted them down again. "You appeased the Divine Beast Vah Ruta and thusly saved Zora’s Domain! We are all truly grateful! What you did for us is more than we could have ever expected of you two.”

“Link… I must sincerely apologize for my harsh treatment of you as well as the Princess.” Muzu said earnestly, nodding his head in satisfaction. “That whole time, you were thinking of Hyrule’s and Lady Mipha’s well-being, just like the rest of us. All of the members of our council humbly fold our fins back in gratitude, along with the rest of our people. Perhaps the older generation of Zora, myself included, misunderstood Hylians after all. It would seem so. That said, I would be overjoyed if you could find it in your heart to forgive me. If not now, then perhaps one day.” 

Link and Zelda both smiled and nodded in return, turning their heads towards the King as his loud voice rang out through the throne room once more. “Link, Zelda, I must reward your efforts!” As the King spoke the last word, a young Zora maiden trotted into the throne room, holding something long that was wrapped up in an elegant blue and silver cloth. She stopped in front of the two Hylians, and with a great flourish, unveiled the gift in her hands to be an intricately carved trident with precious jewels dangling from its sides. It was white and woven with pink, blues, and even a hint of orange. The impressive weaponry was both graceful and threatening. 

The King continued to speak as the Zora maiden knelt and presented the weapon to Link. “This trident was cherished by Mipha. A memento of sorts. I would like you to have it as a token of our friendship. Please take good care of it.” 

Link looked down onto the trident, his hand hovering over the trident. He hesitated, then pulled his hand away. “The gift is much appreciated, King Dorephan, but… I can’t accept it.” He paused, letting his words settle. “I don’t want to tarnish Mipha’s memory in battle, although I’m sure it would be put to good use.”

The great Zora King was lost in thought for a moment before he nodded approvingly. “You’re quite noble, Hylian Champion. By the way, I see you are without your trusty blade… the sword that seals the darkness.” 

Link felt his stomach clench as the image of the Master Sword flashed in his mind. A strange longing began to grow inside of him. 

“Did you perhaps lose it when you lost your memory?” The King questioned. 

Zelda stepped into the conversation. “Not exactly… When Link fell, I took the sword somewhere safe and secure, where it would await its master.” 

“Ah… I see.” King Dorephan murmured. “So it is indeed awaiting your arrival. That is glad news… But of course, wise Princess, courageous Champion, all of the Zora thank you from the depths of our hearts for your heroic and selfless work!” The King paused again and looked down on his son, Sidon, who stood on his right hand side. “And you too, Sidon.” Sidon turned towards his father once his name was mentioned. “As your father, I am proud of you for fighting the divine Beast alongside Link and Zelda. You have grown much recently. I know you will be a worthy heir when your time comes.” 

Sidon’s face lit up before he nodded his head in gratitude. “Father… I… Thank you!” 

The King continued with renewed gusto. “The heavy rains have stopped, and the Divine Beast is our ally once again! How glorious! Truly splendid!” The King cried, laughing heartily. 

“Link! Zelda! This is wonderful!” Sidon exclaimed, flexing his arm in his familiar signature move. He walked towards the two Hylians and violently shook Link’s hand before taking Zelda’s and doing the same. Still holding onto her hands, Sidon chuckled brightly. “Thank you so much! Truly, I could never thank you enough! You helped save our home from vanishing away! This calls for a top-tier expression of gratitude!”

Zelda, still having her hands in Sidon’s smiled weakly in embarrassment. “Oh no, really, that’s not nece-”

“ZO! ZO! RA RA RA!” All of the Zora suddenly shouted, throwing up their arms in celebration. King Dorephan laughed once more, his deep booming chortle only adding to the noise. Sidon grinned as the cheered continued. 

“With all my heart… Thank you!” He cried out, letting go of Zelda and taking a step back, bowing his head to both Link and Zelda as the cheer molded into a continuous roar of shouts and whistles as the Zora people all jumped and pumped their fists into the air with rapturous joy. 

 

Once the ceremony ended, Link and Zelda finished speaking with the King and Muzu before leaving the throne room, reuniting with Caviar at the main entrance of the Domain. However, before they could leave, Sidon ran towards them with a bundle of various packages in his arms. 

“Link! Zelda! Wait!” He shouted, skidding to a stop in front of them. “My father wanted to give you these.” He helped the two Hylians situate the packages onto Caviar’s saddle as he continued to talk. “Inside you’ll find food ready for travel, bandages and a cream-like medicine that will soothe pain, and two thick blankets from our finest wovers. They will keep you warm in the night.” Once the gifts were situated, Sidon turned to look at Link and Zelda. “Speaking of the night… do you two want to stay for breakfast? You must be exhausted!” 

Link and Zelda glanced at each other before Zelda spoke. “We feel perfectly rejuvenated, actually.”

“How?” Sidon asked. 

“After we cleansed Ruta, Mipha appeared to us as a spirit…” Sidon gasped slightly and his eyes widened, making Zelda hesitate before she continued. “She healed us, including Link’s injury on his arm. It is also how we got out of the Divine Beast, and why it is now perched on top of that mountain.”

Sidon turned to look at the great Divine Beast before looking back at the Hylians. “You saw my sister?” He questioned. Zelda nodded. Sidon took a deep breath as if to calm himself. He turned away to gaze at Vah Ruta once more. “How is she faring?”

“She was as selfless as ever.” Link answered with a small sad smile. 

Sidon chuckled. “Was she then? That’s good…” He looked over his shoulder at Link and Zelda. “Thank you for saving her.” He said softly, beginning to walk away when he stopped suddenly. “Oh, I almost forgot! Inside that package there is your change of clothes. The Zora armour may be suitable for fighting, but it is not meant for traveling. It is quite heavyweight.” And with that, Sidon walked back into his precious Domain, his head bowed deep in thought. 

Link and Zelda watched him go before Zelda turned to Caviar and pulled out the package Sidon had mentioned. She opened it up, pulling out her traveling clothes before handing Link his Champion’s tunic and the rest of his clothes. Link took the bundle silently, keeping his eyes trained on the Domain, mainly the silhouette of Mipha’s statue in the distance. 

“Are you going to go change?” Zelda asked quietly, tapping Link lightly on the shoulder. 

“Huh?” Link replied, shaking his head as if he had fallen into a daze. 

Zelda’s eyes flickered with concern before she repeated her question. “Are you going to change here?” 

“Oh… I… I guess I will.” He answered, clearly distracted. His mind was somewhere else, in the midst of the many memories he and Mipha had shared. He wondered if he would ever really move on from her sudden death. It seemed an impossible task. 

A few moments later, Link and Zelda were both in the clothes they had arrived in almost a week earlier. They were already on top of Caviar, with Link in front. The two travelers took one last look at Zora’s Domain, before finally turning away and, with Link snapping the reigns, riding across the long blue bridge that took them farther and farther away from the Zora. 

The next Divine Beast awaits. 

***

The trip back along the winding route they had taken to get to Zora’s Domain went by a lot quicker without the constant downpour of rain, and without the exhaustion and injuries they had before. 

As Link calmly led Caviar along the path, sniping monsters with a well placed arrow from his bow, Zelda chatted on about their next mission.

“Once we’re off of this path, we’ll continue to Death Mountain. There we’ll find the… Gorons.” Zelda read from the Sheikah Slate, holding it in front of Link so that he could glance at the map before he strung his bow and casually shot a Lizalfo in the head. 

“Sounds good to me, except for that whole ‘Death Mountain’ part.” He replied, glancing at the map on the Slate again as Zelda still had it in front of him. “What’s over there?” He asked, pointing to the top right corner. 

Zelda pulled the Sheikah Slate closer and zoomed in on the area Link had pointed to. “It’s called… Akkala. There aren’t any Divine Beasts over there, though.” 

“Well what about those pictures you took? What if one of those areas is over there?” Link asked. Even though he had most of his memories of Mipha back, Link realized that he knew nothing else of his past except for the fact that he had been Zelda’s knight and that he had traveled with her… and that something had deeply bothered Zelda about him 100 years ago… 

“Perhaps we can ask someone at the next stable? We may be able to get there by nightfall.” Zelda suggested, showing the map to Link once more, pointing out a stable that was just before the so called Death Mountain. 

Link nodded. “Alright.” 

They continued along the pathway, arriving at Inogo Bridge where they had first met Sidon by noon day. They stopped there for a while to give Caviar a break, and to have some lunch. They unwrapped one the packages to find a delicious pastry that was somehow still warm and a variety of strange fruits that seemed native only to the Zora’s. After the food was resting happily in their stomachs, they shared some fruit with Caviar before climbing back on and continuing their journey, taking a sharp turn towards the north where Death Mountain loomed in the distance. 

To put the volcano into one word, it would be intimidating. It had a large black cloud spewing out from its peak, darkening the sky around it. Thin strips of bright lava trickled down from its uneven surface, and even from where they were Link could imagine how unbearable the heat would be. He was not looking forward to trekking to Goron City. 

As the sun steadily creeped across the sky, Link and Zelda often met other merchants and travelers along the road, with some simply nodding their heads in greeting or even waving. However, as they were coming close to the crossroads that would either take them to Death Mountain or Akkala, a shout of alarm caused Link to stop Caviar. 

“Take that you feral beast!” A man cried out, which was immediately accompanied by the snarl of a bokoblin. 

Link instantly slid off of Caviar and drew his sword, while Zelda readied her Sheikah Slate and hopped off as well. “There!” She exclaimed, pointing towards a collection of stone ruins where an old man and woman were fighting against a white bokoblin. It was wielding a rusted broadsword, while the old man and woman held shields and swords of their own. 

“Get out of the way!” Link shouted as he sprinted towards the monster, his sword held out at his side. The old man and woman’s heads snapped towards him and instantly jumped back as Link jumped at the bokoblin and slashed down, immediately decapitating it. 

Zelda ran up to Link and the old man and woman, who all put their swords away. The old man was staring at Link with amazement, but the woman was scowling deeply. 

“Thanks for the help, young man!” The old man praised, smiling proudly and slapping Link on the back. Link grunted and stumbled forward, but smiled all the same. 

“Hold on there now…” The old woman murmured, placing a hand on Link’s shoulder to turn him towards her. “You’re that Hylian Champion… Link, aren’t you?”

Link looked taken aback for a moment before he nodded and smiled warily. The old woman took her hand off of him in response and took a step back, as if she were appalled. On the other hand, the old man grinned largely. 

“Well praise the Goddess Hylia! Hyrule still has its protectors!” The old man crowed. 

The old woman gave Link a dark scowl. “Well you’re a hundred years late! Thanks for sleeping in and letting the whole world suffer for a century!” She barked harshly. The old man’s grin fell. “For the past 100 years we have endured famine, monsters, and destruction, all because Hyrule’s self-proclaimed champions were too weak.” 

“Don’t you dare insult the champions.” Link replied, his voice suddenly dangerously low. “They did everything in their power to protect this land.” 

The old woman scoffed. “Then their ‘everything’ wasn’t good enough.”

Link’s eyes narrowed. “And what are you doing to help?”

“I’m surviving!” The old woman spat. 

“Please, you must understand, there was nothing we could do when Ganon attacked.” Zelda cut in, trying to disperse the tense air. 

The old woman's eyes shifted sharply to Zelda. Her scowl darkened. “And you're the princess of failure, hm? The princess of a ruined kingdom and a shattered throne!”

Link then suddenly drew his sword, pointing it at the old woman threateningly. Instantly, the old man quickly jumped in front of her, gently pushing the blade down with a cautious finger. “Now now, we just got done savin’ each other. Wouldn’t want to reverse that.” He said calmly. 

However, the old woman from behind him stepped forward and pushed the man out of the way. She looked down on Link’s sword and snorted. “Well now where's your trusty Master Sword? Did you drop it while you were running scared from the Calamity? You can't call yourself the Hylian Champion with that hunk of metal there.”

Link’s grip tightened on his sword and he swung it at the old woman, gasping when the old man intercepted the blow with his own sword, throwing Link back with surprising strength. 

“Young man, you put that sword right back where it came from.” The old man instructed. He smiled crookedly. “I apologize for my wife ‘ere, she can be pretty firey at times, heh.” 

His eyes trained on the old woman, who was glaring defiantly at the sword, Link sighed and slipped it back into its scabbard on his hip. Zelda placed a gentle hand on Link’s forearm and stepped forward. “We’ll bring Hyrule back to its former glory.” She said to the old couple, her hand drifting down to intertwine itself with Link’s. “I promise.” 

Without another word, Link and Zelda turned and walked back to Caviar, silently climbing on, with Zelda getting in front. Link looked over his shoulder at the old couple as they rode away, watching as the old woman scoffed and continued to talk in an animated way to her husband. He turned back around when Zelda began to speak. 

“She’s right, you know.” 

“The old lady? She didn’t know what she was talking about.” 

“Yes… yes she did. We really did fail 100 years ago, and because of that, Hyrule and it’s people… my people…suffered.” Zelda said somberly. 

“Well… maybe.” Link grudgingly agreed. “But she was in no place to say those things about the champions and you.”

Zelda glanced over her shoulder for a second. “And you were in no place to react like that. You drew your sword and attacked a harmless old woman, Link!” 

“I’m aware.” Link replied bluntly. He felt his face turn a slight red. He had simply reacted on instinct; nothing more, nothing less. 

They both fell silent for a moment, coming to a crossroads before Zelda directed Caviar onto the path that was half a mile or so away from another stable. “About the Master Sword…” She began, “When do you want to go retrieve it? It’s only in the Lost Woods, which isn’t too far from here.”

“No… We need to help the Gorons first.” Link answered. “And…” He started, but stopped when he realized that he didn’t remember the Goron Champion’s name. “And…” He tried again, but his fractured memory did nothing to help. 

“...Daruk?” Zelda finished for him. 

The name sent a shock through Link, but it wasn’t enough to trigger another memory. “Yeah… Daruk.” 

The short conversation dwindled and faded as they silently came closer to the stable. However, just as the sounds of the many horses and travelers came within earshot, Zelda spoke once more. 

“Did you love Mipha?” 

The question caught Link off guard. “Lo… Love?” 

Zelda glanced over her shoulder for just a second, but it was enough for Link to catch a glimpse of her red, flustered face. “I-I mean, well did you care for her? She obviously had feelings for you, with the-uh-armour and all.” 

“I don’t remember her that well, Zelda.” 

“...Sorry.” Zelda mumbled, hunching her shoulders slightly. 

Link sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “No..It’s just that-well, things have been confusing lately.” He took a breath before continuing as they came nearer to the stable. “I know I knew her ever since I was a kid, but I don’t remember what we did exactly. It’s frustrating, because I know I have-or-had, feelings for her.” 

“I thought you would be sure.” 

Link’s hand fell away to his side to rest on the hilt of his sword. “I thought so too.” He muttered. Zelda stopped Caviar in front of the stable, and they both slid off of the saddle. It was late evening, and by some unspoken agreement, Link and Zelda decided to stay there for the night. “We really need to get you a horse.” Link stated, patting Caviar’s side before taking the reigns and leading him to a feeding trough. He took the saddle bags as well, not wanting the supplies and money to get stolen. “Your hair tends to get… in the way when you take the front.” 

Zelda snickered. “Well, perhaps after we help the Gorons we can do just that.” She flipped her golden hair with a side smile, turning away from Link and walking into the stable. The inside was like all of the other stables Link and Zelda had encountered, with multiple beds lining the circular wall and a simple wooden table and chairs closest to them. There was a merchant sitting in one of the chairs, sipping from a harshly carved cup. Some of the beds were already occupied with weary travelers, but the others were still open. 

“I’ll hurry and buy us some beds for the night. Maybe you could fetch some food?” Zelda asked, reaching into the saddle bag and pulling out 40 rupees. She then walked up to the man at the stable’s counter, who smiled as she approached. Link watched the encounter for a moment before he reached into the saddle bag and pulled out a wrapped up slab of fish from the Zora. He walked out to the fire with a pot above it and promptly placed the fish into the pot, pouring some water and herbs from the saddle bag as well. He then took a rock nearby and scraped it against his sword in one quick movement, the sparks landing on the wood beneath the pot and starting a cozy fire. 

He sat and watched the fish cook, his stomach longing for the tasty meat to sit inside of it. Zelda soon came out to join him, sitting next to him, making a comment about the food in which Link replied to. 

“Are you two planning on traveling up Death Mountain?” A young girl asked them, a bulging bag resting on her hip while she held a broom in one hand. The other hand was planted on her hip. Based on her attire, Link could tell that she worked for the stable. 

Zelda nodded. “Yes, we were planning on leaving tomorrow morning.” 

The girl snorted. “You won’t make it far without Fireproof Elixirs.” 

“Fireproof Elixirs?” Link repeated. “How are those supposed to help us?” 

Snorting again, the girl resituated her position, both hands resting on her broom. “Isn’t it obvious? They protect you from the scorching heat of the volcano. Without them, you won’t make it to the first marker without combusting into flames.” She spoke with a crooked smile, before she pulled a bottle of dark liquid from her bag. “Of course, I would be willing to sell one to each of you two, but the price is 110 rupees.” 

“But that’s all we have.” Zelda pointed out. 

The girl’s grin widened. “I know. But without my precious elixirs, you won’t make it to Goron City.” 

Zelda frowned at the girl before giving in and pulling the money from the saddle bag. She regretfully reached out and placed the rupees in the girl’s outstretched hand, in which she then handed two bottles to each of them. She straightened and tipped her hat to them, turning and walking away before glancing over her shoulder. 

“Oh, and make sure you have enough money to buy Flamebreaker Armour once you arrive in Goron City. Once the elixirs wear out, you’ll burn to a crisp!” She exclaimed cheerily, snickering as she continued on her way. 

“How’re we going to get more rupees?” Zelda asked Link, glaring at the girl as she sauntered away. 

Link frowned and looked at their bag, then Caviar, who was happily munching away at the food in the trough. He then glanced at the fish and flipped it over with a stick, letting it cook on its other side. “We could sell the supplies Sidon gave us.” He ventured, gesturing to the two thick blankets. 

Zelda shrugged. “It’s worth a shot. I don’t see us using those anytime soon.” She joked, nodding her head towards the looming volcano. The two Hylians then looked around at the merchants at the stable, searching for one who looked like they could bargain for the blankets. Link gasped when he saw a familiar face, or… bag. It was Beedle, sitting on the opposite side of the stable with a makeshift counter hanging from his giant beetle-shaped bag full of who knows what. 

“Hey, look who it is.” Link said, nudging Zelda and pointing to Beedle. Zelda’s face fell into a scowl. 

“Look who it is.” She repeated with a low tone. She sighed and stood, Link about to follow suit when she stopped him and reminded him of the fish. “You need to finish cooking our dinner.” She said before walking off towards Beedle, the two blankets in her arms. 

Link glanced at the fish and flipped it again before grabbing a plate he had borrowed from the table in the stable. He stabbed the fish with the stick and placed it onto the platter, putting the fire out with more water and cleaning out the pot. He looked over to Beedle and Zelda, hearing the distant sound of Beedle crying out in excitement once Zelda presented the Zora blankets to him. He saw the strange merchant nod ecstatically before Zelda gave the blankets to him, in which he placed some rupees into her hands. She counted the money and smiled, nodding to Beedle in thanks before walking back over to Link. 

“He gave me 200 rupees!” Zelda proclaimed happily, showing the rupees to Link before slipping them into her bag. She then looked down at the cook fish. “That looks tasty.” She commented as Link picked it up and stood. 

“Hopefully it is as tasty as it looks then.” He replied, walking with Zelda back into the stable. The merchant who had been at the table before was gone, leaving it open for Link and Zelda, who gladly sat down. 

They happily began to eat the fish, which was surprisingly good. “Why weren’t you my appointed cook 100 years ago?” Zelda joked, placing another chunk into her mouth. 

Link chuckled. “At least cooking isn’t something I fail at.” 

Zelda gave Link a look. “Don’t say that. I’m trying to lighten the mood, here.” 

“I thought I was too.” Link smiled slyly, receiving a playful nudge from Zelda. 

Soon night came, and with the fish resting happily in Link and Zelda’s stomachs, they both went to their two reserved beds, Link slipping his bow, arrows, and sword off and setting them next to his bed while Zelda kept the saddle bag next to hers. The Sheikah Slate, however, stayed rightfully on her hip. 

“Goodnight, Link.” Zelda mumbled to him, smiling contentedly as she laid down onto the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. 

Link smiled in return before climbing into his bed. “Goodnight.”

 

“I never knew you were such a great cook, Link.” Zelda said brightly, munching on the meal Link had made for her. They were resting around a fire, as they were traveling to Goron City to meet with Daruk, the new champion. Link always liked meeting with him the most. He was really the only champion who Link felt comfortable around. But who couldn’t love the openly optimistic Goron? 

    Link smiled but kept to himself, silently carving at a chunk of wood with a dagger. The Princess, however, didn’t let the conversation die there. 

“You never fail to surprise me.” She continued, chuckling breathily. She looked up at Link, waiting for a response. When none came, she sighed and looked back down at her food. “But there is always one thing I can count on.” Link looked over at his charge, curious to hear what she was going to say.

“No matter how hard you try, or how desperate you seem, you always find a way to fail.” She dropped the platter of food onto the ground, the cooked meat sliding off of the plate as it clattered onto the hard dirt. “I find it hard to believe you are the chosen one.” The Princess smiled sadistically as she continued. “The Gods were blind to their choice, as is your precious Master Sword. This world is doomed.” She then stood, raising her head so that her eyes met with Link’s. However, what Link saw was not the normal green eyes of the Princess. They were a flaming orange, with a dark purple smoke drifting from them like eyelashes. They looked like the eyes that grew from malice. 

Link instantly stood and grabbed his Master Sword, holding it out in front of him as Zelda cackled, her golden hair slowly turning to the color of malice as she held out her hands like claws. A dark black smoke began to emanate from her palms, circling around her arms and causing her hair to twist and turn. “Who are you to raise your sword against me?” Zelda inquired, a growling voice slowly taking over her own. “You’re nothing but a helpless child with nothing more than the stories of past heroes to push him forward. Do you know how many countless times I’ve been beaten to oblivion by sniveling boys in green?” Liquid-like malice then slowly creeped towards Zelda from the shadows, crawling up her legs and overtaking her body, ripping her clothes and transforming her into a hideous humanoid monster with malice for a body and fire for hair. 

The creature took a threatening step forward, a black jagged sword growing in one of its hands. Link raised his sword in defiance, but the monster simply swept its free hand in the hair, the Master Sword promptly crumbling to ash. The creature let out a horrendous cackle and swiped its sword at Link. The scene then shifted, darkness swirling around Link before he found himself face to face with a guardian, it’s gleaming blue eye trained directly on him. He suddenly felt completely exhausted, pain emanating from every inch of his body. He keeled over, reaching behind him for a sword that wasn’t there. A red tracking laser suddenly appeared on his chest, coming from the guardian’s eye. 

“Now another fool comes to threaten me, this time in blue…” The voice spoke, circling around Link like the smoke that choked his throat. “Your past lives must feel immense shame in seeing their descendent cower in fear and pain… And now you will face their disgust face to face…” The voice grew distant, as if it were speaking to Link from the opposite end of a tunnel.  “Farewell Hero. I must say… I was looking forward to witnessing what marvelous feats of strength you would accomplish before facing me, but as I predicted, you disappointed me…” 

Just then the guardian’s eye gleamed, and a single bright laser shot from it, colliding with Link in a moment of searing pain and light. 

 

Link’s eyes shot open and he instantly sat up, gasping for breath. He was sweating, but he felt as cold as ice. The voice still echoed in his ears, but there was no one around him. Failure… disappointment… disgrace… Link quickly shook his head, trying to erase the image of Zelda becoming consumed by malice from his mind. His body shuddered, and he clutched his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut. 

They opened once more however as the creak of wood caught his attention. He turned his head and found himself staring straight into the white mask of a Yiga Clan member. The man chuckled low underneath his breath before raising his sickle in the air and knocking Link out with its hilt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLIFFHANGER! I’m so sorry XD I guess you’ll just have to wait and see what happens once I get the next chapter out! ;)
> 
> By the way, that scene with the old couple was inspired by the episode The Storm from Avatar: The Last Airbender! Did any of you catch that? 


	12. Cobble Crusher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back!! I’m really excited about this chapter, mostly because I threw in a new character and I’m anxious to see how it goes… Well now, what are doing up here still? Get reading! :P

“Aegis! You’re back already?” Cress called, rushing up to her best friend with her broom in hand. 

Aegis grinned and embraced Cress before taking a step back and laughing. “Yeah, it wasn’t that difficult to hike up that volcano.” She replied, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder towards Death Mountain. “Hey, check this out!” She exclaimed, reaching behind her and pulling out a giant metal club with a simple design carved roughly into its broad, flat edge. “The Gorons gave me this after I beat one of their kind in a wrestling match. They called it a ‘Cobble Crusher.’” She explained, showing off her new weapon with a proud grin. 

“Woah.” Cress breathed, watching with awe as Aegis swung the heavy weapon up and around onto her back. 

Just then a young pretty girl with golden hair walked past them, stopping in front of the well-traveled merchant called Beedle. They immediately launched into a bargaining, with the girl offering up two beautiful Zora quilts for a significant amount of rupees. Aegis studied the girl for a while until the deal was made and she turned. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second, but it was enough. A shock flew through Aegis, and she almost drew her Cobble Crusher right then and there. She restrained herself, however, and watched as the girl walked over to the cooking pot. Sure enough, sitting behind the pot was the Hero himself, which made the young girl Princess Zelda..

Cress then tapped on Aegis’ shoulder. “Hey, who you looking at?” She asked, somewhat scornfully.

Aegis tore her gaze away from the Hero and the Princess, forcing a mildly curious look onto her face. “Who are those two?” She asked, nodding her head towards the Princess and the Champion. 

“Them?” Cress snorted. “They’re two idiots who I scammed 110 rupees from. They needed Fireproof Elixirs to travel up to Death Mountain.” 

Just then an idea spawned in Aegis’ mind, but she was careful to keep her expression steady. “110 rupees huh?” She said with a grin. “You’ve outdone yourself this time, Cress. We ought to travel somewhere together sometime.” 

“That would be amazing! I would give anything to get myself far away from this stinking stable.” 

Aegis nodded knowingly and looked over at the Hero and the Princess once more, watching closely as they walked into the stable as the sky began to darken. “Amazing indeed…” She murmured. 

*** 

"Why don't we just kill 'em now? Be done with it?" A voice spoke, getting louder and louder as Link slowly woke up. His head instantly began to ache where the Yiga Soldier had hit him. Wait… The Yiga! Link groggily opened his eyes, seeing two figures standing nearby, the evening sun illuminating their silhouettes. 

"Master Kogha wanted us to bring them alive, remember?"

"But we're on the opposite side of Hyrule! It'll take days before we get them there. We should just kill them here and save ourselves a lot of trouble." 

The two men then moved slightly, making it so that Link could make out some details about the men. They looked normal enough. The only sign that they were Yiga were the sickles hanging off of their hips. Link instantly tried to get up, but he quickly found that his arms were wrapped around the tree trunk he was leaning against, with a firm rope tied tightly around his wrists. His sword, bow and arrows were nowhere to be found, including their horse, Caviar.

"I'm telling you, Master Kogha wants them at our hideout and alive." One of the men stated, clearly frustrated. 

The other man growled in anger before responding. "The Master is crazy! I don't know about you, but I am not taking these two all the way to the Gerudo Desert. Traveling at night is already a pain." 

These two? Link questioned in his mind, his heart jumping in shock as he realized what they meant. Zelda! Where's Zelda? 

"Then I will gladly tell Master of your failure! You'll end up just like that foolish Sheikah Dorian." The other man spat. 

Link's blood ran cold. Dorian? He's one of the guards for Impa! He's with them? He shook the thought from his head, however, as he wildly looked around the area for Zelda as the two men continued to bicker and argue. 

They were in a secluded area surrounded by rock and ruins. There were two horses picketed to the ground a ways away. He craned his head up and saw Death Mountain looming above them, but the peak looked far away, which worried Link. How far did these two take them? Soon he found Zelda, lying unconscious against a different tree ten or so feet away, her wrists tied behind the trunk exactly like Link's. 

He began to struggle, the ropes digging into his wrists. He quickly caught the attention of the two Yiga Soldiers, one of them coming towards him and squatting in front of him. 

"Hey there sleepy head." He sneered. "Had a good rest?" He had rough brown hair that hung over his eyes, causing him to continuously brush it back. His face was sharp and angular, like a hawk's. He was the one who wanted to kill them and "be done with it."

The other Yiga Soldier folded his arms. This one had bright blonde hair that was almost white, with surprisingly dark eyes. "Come off it Tryvan." He said. "Why don't you check his ropes?"

Tryvan glared fiercely at his partner before sneering again at Link and slapping the back of his head before walking behind the tree trunk. Link felt him grab at the ropes and tug on them before tightening them painfully. He then came back around and planted his hands on his hips, looking down on Link with disgust. 

"I can't believe this moron managed to stab your brother, Jarin." Tryvan said with a snort. The other Yiga, Jarin, shot his partner a dangerous look before approaching Link. 

He squatted so that they were eye level, just like how Tryvan had moments before. As Link searched the man's face, he had a quick flashback to their first encounter with the rebellious Sheikah. It had happened just before they had made it to East Gate. 

Jarin looked over Link with an expressionless face, before meeting his eyes again. "That is why it will bring me immense satisfaction to drag him all across this cursed land. It'll give me plenty of time to avenge my brother." 

Just then Zelda began to move, her eyes slowly drifting open. She moaned deliriously before waking with a start as she realized their situation. Tryvan immediately looked over at her with an amused smile, while Jarin's face remained firm and motionless. 

"What's going on?" Zelda asked, sounding confused and disoriented.

Tryvan laughed. "Good morning, Princess." 

Zelda's eyes immediately shifted, stopping once she found Link. She then looked at Jarin, and then the sickle that dangled on his hip. "Are you here to kill us?" She asked. 

"More or less." Tryvan replied. 

That's when Jarin stood. "We're taking you two to the Gerudo Desert." 

Tryvan snorted. “It’s gonna be a long journey for all of us, but lucky for you two, you’ll be unconscious for most of the trip." 

Jarin simply rolled his eyes and walked away to the two horses that were picketed to the ground. He began to adjust the saddle and the bags on one of the horses, which had a solid gray coat and a black mane. He pulled out a bottle that was filled with a thick dark liquid. At first Link thought it was their fireproof elixirs from the lady at the stable, but it was more of a dark blue rather than what the elixirs had looked like. 

Jarin walked towards Tryvan with the bottle in hand. "Let's get going. It'll take longer then normal since we have to avoid the main roads, and we have to cover as much ground as possible if we’re only going to be traveling at night." 

Tryvan groaned and violently snatched the bottle from Jarin's hand. "Fine." He snapped, walking and squatting in front of Zelda with the bottle in hand. "See you in a bit, little lady." He then opened up the bottle and reached for Zelda's face, but she instantly recoiled. 

"What is that? Poison?" She asked frantically. 

Tryvan chuckled. "No, you’ll wake up… eventually." He then grabbed Zelda's chin and forced her mouth open, pouring about a third of the liquid into her mouth. She choked and gagged before finally swallowing, her eyes instantly rolling into the back of her head as her whole body slumped against the tree. 

"What did you do to her?" Link asked, panicked. 

Tryvan turned to Link and walked over, swishing the remaining contents in the bottle. "So the Silent Hero finally speaks. I was wondering when we'd get a sound out of you." He then grabbed at Link's hair, pulling on it harshly. 

Link winced and gritted his teeth, glaring at Tryvan. Tryvan laughed. "I'm not worried though. We'll get some screams out of you soon enough. I'm sure we'll get some juicy ones once we kill the girl." 

"Don't hurt her." Link growled, just as Jarin shoved Tryvan out of the way and grabbed the bottle from him, grabbing Link's jaw and forcing his mouth open. 

"The one you should be worrying about is yourself." Jarin threatened quietly, quickly pouring the liquid into Link's mouth. Link tried to spit it out, but it was already trickling down his throat. He could feel his mind beginning to fade away, and the more he fought it, the farther he drifted. 

"Sweet dreams, Hero." Jarin crooned, smiling wickedly as Link's vision darkened. 

 

“Take a bite, Brother!” Daruk exclaimed, grinning largely as Link raised the chunk of rock the Goron called a ‘Rock Steak’ to his mouth. Apparently, it was insanely delicious, but Link had only ever heard that from the Gorons, and he didn’t think Hylians ate rocks. He sniffed the rock precariously, looking over at Daruk with a raised eyebrow.

The Goron Champion reared his head back and let out a loud hearty guffaw. “Don’t look at me like that!” He said, “Try it, and you will know why it is praised amongst the Gorons!” 

Link sighed, realizing he would never wiggle out of this situation. He closed his eyes and brought the Rock Steak closer to his open mouth before biting down, a sharp pain lancing up his jaw. He winced and recoiled, opening his eyes. 

“Hello, Hero.” Tryvan snarled, gripping his chin in a claw-like grip, Daruk nowhere to be found. The Rock Steak and the Champion had vanished completely. Tryvan then pulled out another bottle full of dark liquid from behind him, pouring all of it into Link’s aching mouth. The world swirled, and Link felt the ground give away as he fell into nothing. 

He was spiraling in darkness, not knowing which way was up or down. Expecting to feel terror, Link felt surprisingly… nothing. He was as empty as the air around him, until a single spark rose up near his face. It twirled and danced on an invisible breath, before suddenly expanding and engulfing Link’s vision with a bright light. 

Once the light faded, Link found himself standing at the entrance to Zora’s Domain, where Divine Beast Vah Ruta towered before him. Mipha was standing between him and the Beast, staring at him with soulless eyes. 

“Mipha!” Link cried, sprinting towards the Zora Princess. She remained motionless as the Divine Beast behind her reared up on its hind legs, stomping down onto Mipha. “No!” He screamed, just as the trunk of Ruta smashed into the ground in front of him, blasting him miles away with its powerful current of water. 

Slamming into a sudden wall, Link slumped to a floor that had appeared out of nowhere, and when he looked up, he saw a wooden ceiling. He was in a tight closed box. He looked down and gasped as he saw water trickling in from the bottom, when the box suddenly shook as if a giant held it in its hand and was throwing it into the air. The water continued to fill the box, even as the violent trembling shook the box over and over again. It wasn’t until the water was to his chest that he heard an echo growing louder and louder with every shake. 

 

“... link… Link… LINK!” 

Link’s eyes shot open and he sat up with such force that he heard a gasp to the side of him. He was in a panic, looking around wildly until he realized he was no longer in the wooden box. 

“Link!” Zelda exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders so that he was forced to look into her eyes. Her face was pale. “What’s going on?” She asked, almost desperate. “Are you okay? You started tossing and turning, I… What happened?” 

Link felt his heart rate slow, as well as his breathing. “I…It…” He trailed away as he saw someone standing behind Zelda in the shadows, as it was early in the morning. He immediately reached for his sword on his hip, but he found nothing there. 

The figure chuckled. “You look as pale as a cucco’s egg.” She said, just as she stepped forward into the light, revealing a strongly built young woman with a giant metal hammer hanging on her back. She had black hair that was tied into a tight ponytail right out of the back of her head, with adventurous, bright brown eyes that seemed to hold countless stories and tales. 

Zelda followed Link’s gaze and turned around before looking back at Link. “Don’t worry. She’s a friend. She’s going to help us up Death Mountain.” She said quietly. 

“Name’s Aegis.” The young woman proclaimed, stepping closer and holding out her hand. Link took it, and she hoisted him onto his feet with surprising strength. Now that they were closer, Link could see many scars marking her face, with the most prominent one being a large arch across her brow. “I saved you two from the Yiga.” 

Zelda stood. “It’s true. I woke up when she ambushed them, right when they were making camp. It was about four hours ago. Since then we traveled a little ways towards the stable, then stopped when I heard you talking and thrashing in your sleep.”

Instantly Link could feel his face redden, but his skin went cold as he remembered his strange nightmare. Zelda noticed his discomfort, and decided not to press the issue. Aegis, however, seemed oblivious. 

“What was goin’ on anyway? You were mumbling and groaning like you were dying.” 

Refusing to answer, Link instead changed the subject. “Where are we now?” He asked.

Something in Aegis’ eyes flashed, letting Link know that she knew he had dodged her question. “Ask Zelda.” She stated bluntly. 

Zelda was already pulling her Sheikah Slate out. She showed the map to Link. “We’re here near Trilby Valley.” She said, pointing to a large valley near Death Mountain and the Wetlands they had gone through as a shortcut. 

“And we better get going.” Aegis added. She turned on her heel and walked towards a gray horse with a black mane that hung over its eyes. The only sign that the horse was tamed was the thin leather saddle that looked nothing more than a mat thrown over it’s back. Link instantly recognized it as the horse that was owned by the Yiga. Aegis hoisted herself up onto the horse, patting the side of its neck as she straightened.

Zelda nodded and made her way towards Caviar, who was standing only a little ways away. Link followed, noticing that all of their saddlebags were gone. “Where’s our stuff?” He asked Zelda as they both climbed on. 

“The Yiga did something with them… we have no idea what.” She answered, snapping the reins as she had climbed in front of Link. However, she tucked her hair into her shirt so that it didn’t whip Link with the breeze, much to his relief. 

They rode in silence for a while, following close behind Aegis and her gray stallion. The silence didn’t last, however, as a question jumped into Link’s head. “Why was I asleep longer than you?” 

“The Yiga told me they gave you the bulk of the sedative.” Zelda replied. Aegis then looked over her shoulder, and, seeing that they were conversing, slowed her horse and moved to the side so that they were riding side by side at a fast paced trot. 

“What’re you two talkin’ about, huh?” She called. 

“Just about the Yiga.” Zelda replied.

Aegis snickered. “They were pathetic, really. I took ‘em out in half a second.” She stated proudly. “It was easier than stealing a toy from a baby!” Her eyes then shifted, landing on Link. She raised an eyebrow. “So you’re the Hylian Champion, huh? I already know your friend here is the Princess.” 

Link nodded, internally deciding that he did not like this girl. 

Aegis looked forward. “I heard a rumor goin’ around that the Princess and her Knight had came back, but I wasn’t sure until I saw it for myself.” 

“How did you find us anyway?” Link asked, trying to keep the suspicion from his tone.

“I saw you two at the stable yesterday.” Aegis began, “That night I heard someone moving, so I woke up only to find you two being dragged by the Yiga. So I followed them, taking your horse, then attacked them when they least expected it.” 

The story seemed honest enough, although Link had a nagging feeling that something was off. Despite that, he let it slide. He would let Aegis guide them up the volcano, and that would be it. 

It was then when Zelda chimed in. “So you said you’d been to Goron City before, Aegis?” 

Link raised his eyebrows. That was new. 

Aegis let out a boisterous guffaw. “I was there two days ago, actually.” She said proudly. “That’s where I won this Cobble Crusher here.” She turned slightly, showing off her giant metal weapon. 

Zelda nodded, eyeing the club cautiously before turning away. The conversation dwindled for a moment, but Aegis picked it back up. 

“Speaking of weapons, where’s your Master Sword, Linky?” She asked, smirking slightly. 

Link narrowed his eyes before sighing. “Not here.” He replied shortly. 

Aegis shrugged in response and sped up so that she was in front once more, ending the conversation there. They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride, arriving at the stable at noon day. There they slid off of their horses and led them to a feeding trough. 

“We don’t have any of our supplies.” Zelda began disparagingly, “We need Fireproof Elixirs if we’re going to make it to Goron City.” 

“Don’t worry! We’ll get you two some more. I’ve got an old friend here who sells them, but she’ll give us some for free. I’m also sure I can get us some armour real easy with the Gorons. They like me.” Aegis said reassuringly, turning on her heel and walking towards the girl that had sold them elixirs before the whole fiasco with the Yiga. 

The girl looked up at Aegis and instantly smiled. “What are you doing here, Aegis? You just got down from Death Mountain” 

“Well now I need to escort these two back up.” Aegis replied, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder at Link and Zelda. 

The girl tilted her head to take a look at Link and Zelda, and her smile grew. “Hey I sold you two elixirs yesterday! What happened, by the way? You two just disappeared.” 

Zelda was about to reply with probably some made up answer before Aegis beat her to it. “That business is their business, Cress.” She stated bluntly. 

Cress simply shrugged her shoulders. “If that’s how you’re gonna be.” She mumbled as she pulled out three Fireproof Elixirs. “Here you go, free of charge.” She said with a smile, giving the elixirs to Aegis who handed one of each to Link and Zelda. 

Aegis turned to Link and Zelda. “Alright, let’s get going.” She stated, turning sharply and walking towards the volcano. 

“Wait, what about Caviar? And your horse?” Zelda asked. 

Aegis waved her hand in the air. “They can’t get to Goron City. We have to walk.” 

Zelda’s face instantly fell while Link’s stomach dropped in dread. This wasn’t going to be fun.

 

Ten minutes later Aegis, Link and Zelda were walking through the entrance to Death Mountain, passing by other travelers. However, as they made it further in, distant screams could be heard just ahead. Aegis immediately pulled out her Cobble Crusher, and Link tried to do the same with his sword, before quickly realizing that he no longer had one. 

Suddenly, a strange creature barreled past them, shouting incoherent words as it ran away. It was large and round, as if it had swallowed a boulder. The name of the creature instantly jumped into Link’s head. It was a Goron. However, he couldn’t tell if it was a girl or a boy. He wondered if that was a common problem.

His thoughts were cut short when an explosion erupted just ten feet away from them. A monster scurried out of the dust, shooting lasers from its single blue eye in a frantic, uncontrolled manner. 

“It’s a Guardian!” Zelda exclaimed in awe. 

“These things are annoying.” Aegis stated in response, rushing towards the Guardian without hesitation. Zelda and Link watched in silence as she smashed her Crusher into one of the Guardian’s legs, chopping it off cleaning. The Guardian’s head spun around, trying to find its attacker, shooting lasers in every direction. Link quickly jumped on Zelda, bringing both of them down as a laser blasted over their heads. He then got off of Zelda, halfway helping her up while they continued to watch Aegis.

She was sprinting around the Guardian with ease, disabling it by smashing all of its legs. The Guardian continued to fire lasers until it finally tried to scramble away, only to realize that it couldn’t. Aegis, with her Crusher on her shoulder, smirked at the Guardian and jumped at the machine, crying out as she swung her Crusher directly at the Guardian’s eye. Sparks flew as Aegis jumped back, propelling herself off of the Guardian’s head just as it sputtered and collapsed. Aegis then turned to look at Link and Zelda, while the corrupted machine exploded behind her. 

Cheers suddenly erupted behind Link and Zelda, and when they stood to look behind them, they found a small group of travelers and Gorons applauding for Aegis. Aegis grinned as she walked towards them, swinging her Crusher onto her back. 

“Thanks for comin’ to the show, everybody! Hopefully there won’t be an encore!” She shouted, promptly receiving laughs and more cheers from the small crowd. They slowly dispersed, going along their personal lives, while Aegis turned to Link and Zelda. “Looks like I’m gonna be a bodyguard too, huh?” She said with a smirk. 

Link frowned while Zelda laughed nervously. “I… guess…?” She replied, shrugging. Aegis snorted and turned, beckoning them forward with a wave of her hand. 

“Whatever.” She murmured as they continued on their journey. 

They walked for a moment longer, rounding around a bend when Zelda gasped.

“Wait!” She cried, causing Aegis to turn around. 

“What?” She asked, clearly annoyed.

Zelda’s face flushed slightly. “Well, Link and I… we have these..memories that we need to… collect.” She started, hesitating almost after every word. “They’re on the Sheikah Slate, you see, and there’s clearly one somewhere around here.” She explained, pulling up the picture to further back her claim. “If our Fireproof Elixirs won’t last very long, then we should find this picture first while we’re at the base of Death Mountain.” 

Aegis looked over the picture with mild interest before looking up at the volcano, then back at the picture. 

“It’s really important for us to get our memories back.” Zelda added. 

“So you really don’t remember anything, huh?” Aegis asked. 

Zelda slipped the Sheikah Slate back onto her hip. “Well… yes and no. We’ve already gotten some of our memories back, but not all of them.”

“Do you remember anything about the Yiga Clan, then?” 

Taken aback, Zelda hesitated before answering. “I-We… no. We don’t.” 

“But that doesn’t mean we’re defenseless against them.” Link interfered, watching Aegis with narrowed eyes. 

Aegis raised an eyebrow. “So I’ve heard.” 

“Listen, it won’t take long for us to fi-” Zelda began, but Aegis quickly interrupted. 

“Yes, yes, we can get your little memory.” She said.

Zelda smiled. “Good. Now, it’s in the direction of Hyrule Castle, since that's in the picture.” She grabbed her Sheikah Slate again and pulled up the picture, pointing out the Castle. 

Aegis studied the picture more closely then she had before. “Huh.. I know where that is.” She stated, beginning to lead the way off of the path. “It’s going to take the rest of the day to get there, though. We’ll find the memory and spend the night there before gettin’ near the lava.” 

Zelda nodded in agreement and followed after Aegis, with Link grudgingly falling in behind the two girls. 

Aegis was right. The side trek took the rest of the day, with them climbing over large cliff sides and jagged boulders, staying far away from the lava that was still nervously close to them. Multiple times the trio had to work together to scramble over the uneven landscape, with Aegis and Zelda helping each other more while leaving Link to fend for himself. While they were climbing and walking, Link couldn’t help but notice how Aegis kept looking around her as if she thought they were being watched, which made Link incredibly anxious. He dreadfully wished he had a weapon of some kind. 

The entire afternoon and evening also gave Link plenty of time to reflect on his past nightmares that seemed to be recurring. The thought didn’t comfort him, and the disturbing images and voices that he heard in those nightmares did nothing to ease his anxiety. He wanted to talk to Zelda about them, and he would’ve just to get some clarification, but he couldn’t with Aegis so near. He didn’t trust her, even if she did save them.

Just as the sun lowered beneath the horizon, Aegis stopped on a flat peak that overlooked a giant foggy forest and Hyrule Castle. The view was astonishing, with the sunset painting lovely pinks and purples across the landscape. 

“I believe this is where that picture was taken.” Aegis stated proudly, both of her hands resting on her hips. 

Zelda brought the Sheikah Slate out and compared the picture with the view. She smiled and nodded. “It looks just about right.” 

Aegis nodded and walked a few steps away, sitting down on a rock. “What happens now?” She asked.

Link and Zelda exchanged a glance. “Now we wait.” Zelda replied with a shrug. 

“Hm.” Aegis snorted, resting her chin on her hand. “Fun.” She mumbled sarcastically.

Turning away from Aegis, Link and Zelda looked out across the view, waiting for something to click and take them to the past. Nothing happened for a while, until Link turned to look out across Death Mountain. He could feel himself beginning to fall, and he sank to his knees just as his vision blacked out entirely.

 

“That cut doesn’t look too bad, actually.” Zelda said happily, “You’re fine for now.” She was kneeling beside him, both of them looking over many bokoblins and two lynels, all of which had been slain by Link. “But you know,” Zelda continued, “there’s a fine line between courage and recklessness.” 

Link looked up at her, trying to keep himself from smiling. He had his sleeve pulled up, since Zelda had insisted on looking at a scratch one of the bokoblins had done to him during the skirmish. 

“As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal.” She scolded him, turning to look at the dead carcasses of the monsters and sitting more comfortably next to Link. 

“It seems that, not only is the frequency of these types of attacks on the rise… but the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying as well.” Zelda pondered outwardly. 

Link immediately restrained himself from correcting Zelda of the fact that it was him and him alone who had battled the beasts, but he let it slide as he smiled inwardly. He continued to watch Zelda as she brought a hand to her heart, looking at the ground with worry.

“I fear that- I fear that this is an omen which portends the return of Calamity Ganon.” She then quickly stood, brushing the dirt from her clothes. Link looked up at her as she continued to talk, a small smile growing on her face. 

“And, if that’s the case, I’m ready to expect the worst. We’ll need to make preparations as soon as possible.” She stated confidently. Link nodded and stood, waiting for Zelda to take the lead. She did, walking in front of him as they both strolled past the lifeless monsters.

It seemed that no matter how hard or fast they worked to prepare, the forces of evil was always one step ahead. But Link didn’t need the constant reminders. He already knew that in the end it wouldn’t matter how many monsters he slew, for the real beast had yet to come.

 

Link slowly woke up to the sound of someone laughing, and as he opened his eyes and sat up, he recognized it immediately. It was Aegis, and she was rocking back and forth on her rock as each violent laugh racked her body. 

Looking to his side, Link saw Zelda wake up with a groan. He helped her sit up and then stand, and they both watched Aegis with glares in their eyes until she noticed them. 

She stopped laughing, chuckling as she looked at them. “Did you re-remember?” She choked, bursting out laughing again. 

Now Link really wished he had a sword.

“What’s so funny?” Zelda snapped, her hands poised dangerously on her hips. 

Aegis wiped a tear from her eye. “You two just passed out!” Another laugh escaped her lips. “And-and you fell over at the same time, like a limp twig!” She cackled once more.

Zelda sighed before she grabbed at Link’s forearm. “We’re going to find firewood.” She murmured, pulling Link with her as they left Aegis laughing away on her rock. 

“Don’t pass out again, ya’ old twerps!” She shouted after them, laughing hysterically as they went down the peak. 

 

Zelda soon let go of Link’s forearm, letting out an exasperated sigh and bending over to pick up a dark wooden stick. However, as she gripped one end of the stick and pulled, it wouldn’t come out of the ground. She groaned and pulled harder, but it wouldn’t budge. 

Noticing her struggle, Link came up beside her. “Let me try.” He said quietly as he took hold of the wood, pulling with all of his might. 

SNAP! 

Half of the branch suddenly broke off, and Link stumbled backwards with a pitiful lump of wood. He growled in frustration and chucked the piece of wood across the rocks. 

Zelda snickered, making Link turn to face her. “Hey, I was trying to help!” He said defensively. 

Zelda smiled. “Sorry.” She said honestly. “It was a little funny though.” 

“So you’re just like Aegis now?” Link fired. 

Zelda’s smile fell away instantly. “I am not.” She argued, “And I’m sorry about Aegis.” She said apologetically. 

Link sighed. “You don’t need to apologize about her.” 

“I know, but… I still feel obligated to.” 

Nodding, Link looked past Zelda at the flat peak where Aegis was. “Do you trust her?” He asked, making eye contact with Zelda again. Zelda glanced over her shoulder. “I… I guess… she saved us, didn’t she?” 

“Just… watch you back, okay?” Link said in response, walking towards a dry bush and pulling firewood from it. 

Zelda came over to join him, pulling out a long knotted branch. “I will.” She replied reassuringly. “I can see where you’re getting suspicious. She’s boisterous and loud.” 

Link raised an eyebrow, and Zelda chuckled.

“Okay… she’s rude and loud, how about that?” 

“No… no you need to keep the ‘boisterous’ in there too.” Link said with a sideways smile. 

Zelda snorted and straightened, a simple pile of wood in her arms. “And maybe throw in obnoxious too.” She joked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! How do you like Aegis? Do you trust her? Let me know in the comments! (and leave kudos as well please it really helps) Also, thank you all so much for giving me your attention! This has been a wild ride for me, and I've loved every second of it! Let's stay in this together, shall we?


	13. Goron City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooo baby! I’m pampering you guys, aren’t I? It seems like only yesterday when I published chapter twelve! :D
> 
> Well now, from what I’ve heard you guys don’t really seem to trust Aegis…(Or like her for that matter XD) Maybe this chapter will change that…
> 
> Nah I’m just kidding. Don’t trust her.
> 
> Also whaaaatt is this?! Over 100 kudos? Holy crap you guys! This is mind blowing for me! So here's a big old thank you to everyone who's left kudos! You are truly amazing!

Aegis stood as Zelda and Link came up onto the peak, both of them carrying bundles of firewood. “Took you two long enough.” She said scornfully, taking the pile from Zelda’s arms. She walked to the middle of the area and dropped the wood into a circle of rocks that she had arranged. Link then followed suit and dropped his collection into the same spot. 

Without a second glance, Aegis proceeded to situate the wood carefully, obviously experienced. Zelda and Link sat down near the pyramid of wood, opposite of Aegis as she grabbed two rocks and smacked them together in a sliding motion, soon producing sparks that started a flickering flame which grew into a substantial campfire. 

Aegis then stood and walked off, telling Link and Zelda that she was going to try and find some source of food. Half an hour later, she returned with the body of what seemed to be a bird, except the head and legs were missing. Zelda grimaced and looked away as Aegis pulled a dagger from the inside of her boot and plucked the bird carcass, preparing their dinner. 

She quickly struck up a conversation as she continued to ready the meat, not even looking at times as she butchered the bird. It was Zelda who mostly carried the conversation, while Link stayed silent and watched with mild interest. It was mostly on small talk, just sounds to fill the silence as the sky continued to slowly darken. 

Soon the meat was ready, and Aegis stabbed it with a sharpened stick that Link had carved with Aegis’ dagger while they talked, holding the speared meat over the fire and turning it slowly as it cooked. 

A long while after that the meat was done, and Aegis proudly sliced up different sections for the three of them. They ate in silence, with Zelda throwing in the occasion comment about the dinner. After they were all filled and the bones were discarded, the three Hylians laid down on the hard rock, settling in for an uncomfortable night. Link quickly volunteered for first watch, as they had all decided not to let their guard down, even during the night. 

Zelda and Aegis soon fell asleep, with Link sitting on the rock Aegis had before. He watched the sun completely disappear, then craned his neck up and watched the stars appear. All in all it was peaceful, with no disturbances. The only thing that tampered his mood was the memories of his recent nightmares and the lack of memories of his past. 

After a few hours of pacing and watching the sky, Link woke up Aegis, who had claimed second watch. She woke easily, saying nothing as Link laid down and settled for the night. He was hesitant to let Aegis take second watch, for obvious reasons, but he believed he had no choice. Refusing her offer would only let her know that he was onto her. And he was sure that she was hiding plenty of secrets. 

Despite this, Link was exhausted, and he couldn’t help but close his eyes as sleep slowly overtook his mind and body, dragging his consciousness into that familiar deep void. 

 

Zelda glared fiercely over her shoulder at Link and ran into Gerudo Town, kicking up the loose sand into Link’s eyes as he tried to follow her. She slid into the desert settlement and turned, folding her arms over her chest as Link wiped the dirt from his face. The two strong looking Gerudo guards watched Link with careful eyes, crossing their spears in front of the entrance as a clear message. No men allowed. 

Link glanced at the guards and then made eye contact with Zelda, who was smiling slyly. Her smile fell however as she turned briskly on her heel and walked out of sight into the bustling town. 

Slowly backing away from the two threatening Gerudo guards, Link turned to the side and walked away from the main entrance, looking up at the stone wall that encircled the town. He knew that Zelda despised him, but to run away like this? It was childish! 

He sighed as he continued to walk around the town’s perimeter, looking for a way to climb in. He walked past another side entrance, glancing cautiously at the Gerudo guard that stood to the side. Pressing on, he found a secluded spot behind the town where he could scramble up and over the stone wall. 

Readying himself, Link reached up and gripped onto the rough stone, beginning the climb. He jumped up to the top in a matter of seconds, scanning the town for any sign of Zelda. He spotted her speaking with a shopkeeper that was trying to sell a white Gerudo outfit to her. Immediately, Link took a step forward when a loud voice suddenly split the air. 

“On the wall!” It cried, just as Gerudo guards suddenly flooded both sides of the wall, pointing their sharp spears at Link. “Get him!” One of them shouted, receiving cries of anger as they all lunged at Link. 

Gasping, Link took a step back and was ready to jump off of the wall and make a run for it when three men suddenly encircled him, facing outwards to the guards. They were poised like animals, and they viciously attacked the guards, shoving them off of the wall with ease. Two of the men were wielding a curved sickle while the third held a… Cobble Crusher. 

Soon the guards were all defeated, and the three strangers turned, revealing Jarin, Tryvan, and Aegis. They all wore the red clothes that the Yiga wore, and they had white masks hanging on their hips. Aegis was in the middle of the three, and she advanced on Link with a wicked grin. 

“Where’s your Master Sword, Linky?” She asked sarcastically, swinging her Cobble Crusher onto her back. 

Link reached behind him for his sword in response, gripping air. He gasped and brought his hand back in front of him, finding nothing in his hand. Aegis cackled.

“And the Princess…” She spoke softly, her voice suddenly mutilating into that of a man’s. Link looked up in surprise, finding the Yiga Soldier, who he had stabbed before East Gate, on his hands and knees shaking violently. Everyone else was gone, including Gerudo Town. 

The man chuckled low under his breath, taking his white mask off to reveal Zelda’s face. Her golden hair fell onto her shoulders, covered in dirt and grim while the ends were burnt and charred. Her face was also burnt, with numerous bloody scars disrupting her usual beauty. “I’ll have the honor of seeing your blood stain the grass once more.” She murmured sadistically, reaching out to Link with the Yiga Mask in hand, as if she intended to put it on him. 

She then began to chuckle, her body quaking as she stood limply like a rag doll. With her mutilated laughter growing louder, Zelda raised her head, taking a threatening step towards Link, the mask still being held out in offering. Dark blood oozed from the hundreds of cuts and scratches over her face, making her barely recognizable. “Let me see… let me-me smell…” She continued to mumble, until her eyes suddenly flared with piercing golden light. “Your death!” She screeched, cackling maniacally as she leapt at Link, hands outstretched like claws, the mask tumbling to the ground. Link gasped and reached behind him, suddenly grasping onto the Master Sword and swiping the shining blade at the Princess. She screamed and collapsed, and as Link knelt down to help her-

 

“I’m not teaming up with you!” Aegis whispered angrily, just as Link’s eyes shot open. His heart thumped painfully in his chest, and he restrained himself from getting up and scrambling… anywhere.

“You have no choice after you attacked us!” A man whispered harshly. Realizing he was back in reality, Link quickly slowed his breathing as he heard two people conversing behind him. His mind was finally cooling from the onslaught of vicious images and screams that he had just witnessed, and that stemmed the pounding of blood in his ears as he listened in on the obviously private exchange. 

He could hear Aegis growl softly in frustration, careful to keep her voice low. “You were going to fail sooner or later. No matter what you say, I won’t let you take my credit.” She responded firmly. 

The man scoffed. “Your credit? Do remember that it was you who killed Tryvan, not me.” Link’s heart jumped. He suddenly realized who the man was. It was Jarin. Link’s thoughts were running wild now that the dream was far from the forefront of his mind. Aegis killed Tryvan? But why?

Jarin continued when Aegis said nothing. “I do believe the Master would be very unhappy if he heard that one of his own soldiers killed the other without restraint, and reason for that matter.” Jarin said smugly, “I like you, Aegis. It would be a shame to see you executed in our cherished home.” 

Aegis sighed deeply before responding, obviously regretful in her words. “Fine. I’ll let you help me.” 

“No… no you’ll be helping me.” Jarin corrected her. “You’ll help me drag these two idiots down this blasted volcano this instant, before they get any farther in their failure of a quest.” 

Link could hear Jarin turn and walk towards him, his tapping of his footsteps against the hard rock getting closer and closer. Link tensed, trying to keep himself still. All while the click and clack of Jarin’s feet slowly approached him. 

“Wait!” Aegis suddenly cried, keeping her voice breathy in a poor attempt of a whisper. He could hear Jarin grunt, and he could only assume that Aegis grabbed him. “No, we can’t take them now!” Aegis argued, almost frantically.

“Why not?” Jarin asked, frustrated. 

“Listen, while they’re on this mountain it’s too dangerous to apprehend them.” Aegis spoke in even tones, trying to calmly persuade Jarin. “They think I’m on their side. Let me keep an eye on them, and we’ll ambush them right when we get off of this volcano.”

“Hmph.” Jarin sniffed. “... Fine. But if they slip from your grasp, even for a second, I will gladly slit your throat.” 

Aegis chuckled. “I’d like to see you try.” She spat, just as brisk footsteps slowly faded away, in which Link guessed was Jarin leaving. Aegis was silent for a moment, when she snickered and walked around Link, sitting down on the rock with her back to him. Link stared at the Cobble Crusher on her back for a long while, trying to digest this new information. He had been right not to trust her. She was with the Yiga! And now, she was closely working with Jarin, after supposedly murdering Tryvan. 

With a shaky breath, Link closed his eyes. His mind was alert and wide awake, making him flinch at every sound. Despite this, he tried to force his body asleep so that he could get some more rest before daybreak. 

He didn’t.

 

Morning came slowly and painfully, and just as the sun began to shine through his eyelids, Link opened them without hesitation, only to be met with Aegis’ face. “Rise and shine, Linky!” She exclaimed, nudging him with her foot before moving on to Zelda. In response Link sat up, rubbing his eyes as Aegis bent down and shook Zelda awake. He stood, stretching his sore muscles, watching Aegis precariously as she helped Zelda stand. Even though he had always been suspicious of her, even from the very start, knowing for a certainty that she was a part of the Yiga Clan made everything she did seem like a trap. Which, in a way, it was. 

Zelda yawned, stretching out her arms. “Wait… I thought I was supposed to take the last watch?” She asked groggily, her words slurred. 

Aegis laughed, her hands on her hips. “I took the second and last watch for yah. It was the least I could do.” 

Glad you spent that time planning to ambush us. Link thought to himself sarcastically, glaring at Aegis while her back was turned. Zelda caught the look, however, and she raised an eyebrow at him. She walked over to him. 

“Had a bad sleep? You seem grouchy.” She said with a sly smile. 

“I just need to talk to you… in private.” Link said quietly, glancing at Aegis. Zelda’s smile faded as she looked over her shoulder at the traitor, who was watching them with an unamused yet curious expression. 

Zelda nodded as she looked back at Link. “Okay…” She said hesitantly. “Is everything alright?” 

“Just… I’ll tell you later.” Link responded hurriedly, accepting defeat as he began to leave when Zelda grabbed his wrist.

“Wait, no, we’ll talk now.” She said firmly, turning her attention to Aegis. “Aegis, we’ll be right back.” She said, turning and beginning to walk down the peak. 

“Now hold on, where are you two goin’?” Aegis called after them.

Zelda stopped walking to turn back to Aegis. “We’ll be right back, I promise.” 

Aegis scoffed and walked towards them. “Yeah, no you don’t.” She snorted, stepping in front of them. “We need to get going if you wanna make it to Goron City alive.” 

Zelda glanced at Link, who nodded in return. He would make time to talk to Zelda on the way. Besides, they were safe until they were done with the Gorons. 

“Well, alright.” Zelda agreed, letting go of Link’s wrist. 

Aegis nodded, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Good. Let’s go.” She said shortly, taking the lead. 

Link sighed, yawning again from his lack of sleep. This was going to be a long day. 

 

Sadly, he was right. Just as they got back onto the path that wounded up to Death Mountain, Aegis had instructed them to drink the Fireproof Elixirs so that they wouldn't combust into flames. She told them that they only had about two hours to make it up the volcano and get Flamebreaker Armour on, as the Goron’s called it. Shortly after her instruction she reassured them that they would be fine, since she had made it to Goron City in less than an hour. Link felt that the comment was only mentioned to boast. 

Even with the Fireproof Elixir protecting them from the smoldering heat, Link still felt as if he were being cooked alive. The thick, suffocating heat was sharp and painful, wrapping itself around its victims and choking them without restraint. And even with the Elixirs, the three Hylians had to stay far away from the pools of lava and the multiple monsters and enemies that were cloaked in fire. All of which were taken care of swiftly with one swing from Aegis’ Cobble Crusher. 

The entire trip was miserable, especially with the lingering unease that came whenever Link looked at Aegis, remembering the words that she had shared with Jarin just the night before. He wanted to tell Zelda everything so bad it hurt, but he couldn’t with Aegis keeping such a close eye on them. Of course, that’s what she told Jarin she would do, so it wasn’t really that big of a surprise. 

An hour and a half slowly crawled by, just as Aegis cheered without warning. Zelda seemed to jump out of a daze, and she looked around wildly as Aegis continued to cheer. “What’s going on? Monsters?” She asked frantically.

Aegis laughed. “Nah, no monsters.” She said happily, “We’re here!” She exclaimed.

Link raised an eyebrow and then looked to his right, his eyes widening when he saw just how close they were to Death Mountain. Aegis, chuckling to herself, began to continue forward, winding around a sharp bend to their right. However, just as Goron City came into view, the volcano suddenly shook before Link could take the sight in. 

The shaking was intense, as if Hyrule itself was splitting apart. With all three Hylians stumbling as the ground continued to tremble, Link reached out for Zelda, the image of him doing the same when Ganon woke flashing in his mind’s eye. Aegis spun around, looking over her shoulder at the volcano which was spewing flaming rocks of lava into the sky. 

“Woah!” Aegis exclaimed, instantly sprinting towards a rock outcropping that would provide them shelter. Link grabbed Zelda’s arm and followed after Aegis, Zelda stumbling behind him.

“What’s going on?” She shouted. 

Aegis looked out at the volcano just as a bunch of rocks of lava smashed into the ground around them like rain. “Isn’t it obvious, Princess?” She replied sarcastically. “The blasted Goddesses are trying to kill us!” 

Staying close to Zelda, Link watched with wide eyes as the rocks continued to fall, his heart leaping when he saw a particular boulder growing closer and closer. “Watch out!” He shouted, shoving Zelda out from under the outcropping of rock. He looked up just as the boulder smashed into the outcropping, rock shards beginning to collapse down onto him. Frozen, he didn’t move until Aegis grabbed his wrist in a steel grip, pulling him to safety as the outcropping was reduced to a pile of smashed rock. 

His feet coming out from under, Link fell onto his stomach just as the rumbling stopped. Aegis and Zelda looked down on him, Aegis holding in laughter as Zelda knelt down and helped him stand. 

“Thanks for the save.” She said with an almost apologetic smile. 

Link nodded, turning to Aegis. “And thanks to you too, Aegis.” He said, trying to sound pleasant while on the inside he was gritting his teeth. However, he had to be honest with himself. Aegis had saved his life, and that in itself was troubling. Why would she care? Was it only to preserve them him until she betrayed both him and Zelda? 

Aegis’ hand fell away from her mouth as the laughter disappeared. “Uh…” She scowled. “Whatever.” She muttered, turning away and shaking her head. 

Link watched her for a moment before turning his gaze back to Zelda. She shrugged. “Don’t look at me. She said. 

Saying nothing more, Link and Zelda silently followed after Aegis as they got their first good look at Goron City. It was a small settlement, nearly half as large as Hateno Village. It was built directly below Death Mountain, which had a dark cloud hanging over the volcano peak. The city itself was built mainly with rough metals, with multiple bridges spanning over scattered pools of lava. The buildings were simply hollow giant boulders, carved into a circular shape that reminded Link of pebbles one might find on a river’s side, that or a turtle’s shell. 

Having stopped to take in the view, the three Hylians continued farther into the city, walking past a Goron with a Cobble Crusher resting on its shoulder. It had a helmet on, marking it as a guard. Its mouth grew into a large grin when it spotted Aegis. “Look who it is!” It cried. 

“Hey there, Krane.” Aegis replied with a grin of her own, punching the Goron’s shoulder. It laughed and slapped Aegis on the back, who didn’t even flinch. 

They continued, with Aegis casually sidestepping a small Goron that rolled past them like a self-propelling rock. Link and Zelda jumped out of the way of the young creature, staring at it with wide eyes as it continued on without hesitation, veering around a sharp corner and rolling on. 

Aegis continued to lead the way into one of the shell-like buildings that had a metal sign shaped as a shirt hanging over the entrance. She stepped confidently into the building as if she owned the place. “Rogaro!” She called out, catching the attention of the Goron that stood behind a counter. 

“Aegis!” He exclaimed, sitting up with an almost identical grin as the one from the Goron guard. “What are yah doin’ back ‘ere brother?” 

Walking up to the counter and leaning on it with her elbow, Aegis nodded her head towards Link and Zelda. “I was just guidin’ these two up, that’s all.” She said casually. “Guess what,” She added, “that there is Princess Zelda, and that is the Hylian Champion, Link!” 

Link and Zelda instantly tensed as the Goron looked at them, and Link took a slight step forward, putting himself between Zelda and Rogaro. 

“‘s that so?” The Goron said thoughtfully. “I thought they died 100 years ago?” 

“Yeah well anyways, I was hoping you’d give us three some Flamebreak Armour. We’ve got some business we’ve got to attend to up ‘ere.” Aegis said, adopting the strange lazy accent of the Gorons. 

The Goron looked back at Aegis, grinning cheerily. “Sure thing, brother!” He said happily, turning around and fidgeting in the back of the building. “Hm.. I think I’ve got some Hylian Armour down ‘ere that’ll fit yah two.” He mumbled. 

Zelda looked over at the armour that was on display to their left, nudging Link and gesturing towards it. “That looks like your size.” She said. 

Link looked over the thick metal armour. “It does.” He agreed. 

However, the Goron didn’t seem to notice. He turned around with a pile of armour in his giant hands, dumping it onto the counter. “Now ‘ere’s armour for the little lady,” He said, handing a set to Zelda. “Some for the young man,” He handed more armour to Link, “An’ finally some ‘ere for Aegis.” He finished, sliding the rest of the armour to Aegis to took it into her arms. 

“You can go into that spare home over there an’ change.” Rogaro instructed, leaning forward and pointing to his right. Aegis nodded, not even thanking for the armour as the three Hylians stepped out of the shop. Aegis and Zelda wandered into the spare home that the Goron had told them about, but Aegis stopped Link before he could follow. 

“Hold it.” She began firmly, “Ladies first.” She finished with a smirk, turning Link around and pushing him away from the Goron home. Link frowned and stepped to the side, leaning against the rough rock while folding his arms. 

A few moments later Aegis and Zelda stepped out, revealing the sturdy, yet clunky metal armour. Zelda’s was smaller and thinner than Aegis’, shaping around her body nicely. Aegis’ however was thick and square, as if it were made for a man. Despite the bulkiness of it, however, it seemed to move nicely when she swung her arms experimentally. 

"Hm. I think I like this one more than the other one I had.” She said thoughtfully.

“What happened to the other one?” Zelda asked, putting on a helmet that had thin bars across the face. 

Aegis already had her helmet on, which she adjusted as she replied. “I got attacked by a flamin’ Igneo Talus, and it bent the chest piece real bad.” 

“Igneo Talus?” Zelda questioned. 

“Oh they’re just giant lava rock monsters that chuck fiery boulders at you.” She replied casually with a devilish smile on her face. “Count yourselves lucky you haven’t met one yet.” 

Link then moved away from the wall that he was leaning against, picking up his Flamebreaker Armour and moving past the two girls. He stepped into the home that was mostly empty except for a couple of metal crates and pottery. He walked over to one of the larger vases, picking it up and taking a look inside of it. Sitting on the bottom was a single red rupee. Smiling, Link tried to reach into the vase and grab the lucky find, but his hand wouldn’t fit through the opening. He frowned, trying to force his hand in to no avail. He then tried to tip the vase over and shake the rupee out, but it was also too big to fit through the opening. 

Turning it back upright and looking inside the vase again, Link contemplated the idea of smashing the pot, but he immediately refused the urge. Zelda would hear, and he was sure she wouldn’t be very happy if he shattered someone's property. Sighing, Link placed the vase back down onto the ground with the others and proceeded to dress into the armour, simply sliding it over his Champion’s tunic and tan trousers. 

His Flamebreaker armour was exactly identical to Aegis’ and even though it was loud and clanky, it was surprisingly flexible and breathable. The legs were almost like accordions, with spring like metal that contracted and extended whenever he walked. The arms were quite similar to the legs as well. Sliding on the helmet and becoming troubled by how much it limited his view, Link stepped out of the Goron home. 

Zelda was standing by Aegis, who was leaning casually against the home like Link had moments before. She straightened when she caught view of Link, and Zelda seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. 

Aegis then walked them through the city, wandering around aimlessly. They didn’t really know what to do until one particular Goron caught Link’s eye. He was obviously extremely old, with a large white beard tied into four different sections. He had an eyepatch over his right eye, and his other was squinted in an elderly fashion. His head was completely bald, and he was scratching it as he was staring off into the distance.

“Who’s that?” Link questioned, nudging Zelda. 

It was Aegis who answered. “That’s the Goron Chief, Bludo.” 

Zelda turned to look at the old, wrinkly Goron. “Then that’s a good place to start if we want to cleanse the Divine Beast here.” She said.

Aegis nodded. “Most likely.” 

“Wait, hold on,” Link began, turning his eyes to Aegis, “you were only going to guide us to Goron City. That’s it.” 

Aegis raised an eyebrow. “You’re not done up here, so neither am I.” 

Link’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to stay with us so bad? How can we trust you?” He asked, even though he already knew the answers. 

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it’s because I know you two are trying to destroy Ganon, and I want to help. I want to save Hyrule.” Aegis replied, returning Link’s glare with one of her own. 

“And why would you want to do that?” Link questioned. 

“Because I’m one of the blasted idiots who live here!” Aegis snapped, raising her arms in exasperation. 

Zelda quickly stepped between Link and Aegis, trying to diffuse the situation. “Come on guys, let’s try not to lose our heads.” 

Link kept his eyes on Aegis. “I’m not letting her travel with us anymore, Zelda.” He said stubbornly. 

“And I’m not leaving.” Aegis stated, folding her arms. 

Zelda sighed, turning her back to Aegis so that she was facing Link alone. “Listen, Link, I know I said Aegis would only help us to Goron City, but I think we can trust her.” 

Link was getting frustrated. “Trust her? You don’t even know her!” 

“And you do?” Zelda asked. 

Link wanted to scream. He wanted to shout and accuse Aegis as a murdering traitor, in which case, she was. Instead, he did his best to stay calm. Aegis was the only one armed out of the three, and if he started to attack, or reveal to Zelda that she was a part of the Yiga Clan, then she would strike and that would be the end of that. It didn’t help to think that Jarin was in hiding somewhere around them too. 

“Fine. She can stay, but she’s not going into the Divine Beast with us.” Link said grudgingly. 

Zelda smiled. “Thank you, Link.” She said gratefully, turning back to Aegis. “Now let’s go meet this chief Bludo.” 

 

And meet him they did. As they approached the elder Goron, he suddenly cried out in anger, shaking both of his fists as he stomped the ground with his comically tiny feet. “Drat! That blasted Rudania!” He exclaimed, trembling in anger. 

Zelda took hold of the conversation. “What’s wrong?” She asked politely. 

Bludo seemed to calm down slightly as he answered. “With Rudania runnin’ wild recently, Death Mountain’s eruptions have gotten real bad.” He explained in a tired tone. “Do ya see Rudania stompin’ around up there on the mountain?” 

The three Hylians gazed up at the volcano, eyes widening as they saw a giant mechanical lizard crawling along the slanted peak, swinging it’s massive tail to keep balance. 

The Goron Chief continued. “They say that 100 years ago, it actually used to protect our people from harm… but that was then, and this is now! Now all it does is mess up our mining operations! We’re all suffering because it’s stoppin’ us from doin’ business!” Bludo sighed. “I can’t tell ya how many times we’ve used the cannon to chase off that fiend.” He then suddenly gritted his teeth, his massive hands curling into fists. “But it always comes back!!” He shouted, stomping his feet once more. 

Suddenly, a loud crack emanated from his back, causing the Goron to tense in pain and then relax with a groan. “Youch… owwwowow…” He mumbled. 

Zelda reached out her hands as if to help the elder Goron, her face contorted with worry. “Are you okay?” She asked hurriedly. 

“Hmph, it’s just some back pain…” Bludo replied tiredly, rubbing his back. His eyes then widened slightly, and he brought his hand back up to his bald head, scratching it in confusion. “Wait. Who are you?” 

“We’re travelers.” Aegis said, stepping forward slightly. 

Bludo nodded. “I see… So, then, you came all this way to pay your respects to me? I like you three already, brothers!” The Goron’s hand fell away from his head, and he nodded again with more enthusiasm. “Well, my name’s Bludo.” He said firmly, his rough low voice almost rattling Link’s bones. “I’m the great Goron Boss who’s fearsome enough to silence a crying child! Or to make a silenced child cry, either way.”

Link heard Aegis snicker, but Bludo didn’t seem to hear. He simply continued on with a clear of his throat. 

“Yes, it is none other than I, Bludo!” He stated proudly, “I was planning to drive off Rudania like I always do, but then this blasted pain in my back flared up outta nowhere…” His voice trailed away, and he scratched his bald, spotted head once more. “That blasted Yunobo… When will he return?” He mumbled. 

“Who’s Yunobo?” Zelda asked promptly, her hands clasped behind her back to seem more polite. 

Bludo’s hand fell away from his scalp. “Yunobo is a young goron who helps me drive off Rudania.” The Goron Boss than turned, gesturing towards the north. “He went to grab some painkillers for my back from the Abandoned North Mine, but he hasn’t come back yet… Slacker… I bet he’s off somewhere wastin’ time…” Bludo murmured, scratching his head again. It seemed to be a habit. 

“Hey… If ya happen to see Yunobo, will ya let him know I’m lookin’ for him?” Bludo then asked, mainly focusing his attention to Aegis. 

Aegis grinned. “Sure thing, bossman!” She said with a hint of mocking.

Bludo the straightened slightly when his back gave out a loud crack. The Goron Chief groaned and slumped his shoulders, rubbing his back as he mumbled in pain. Zelda’s smile turned sympathetic.

“We’ll find Yunobo for you.” She said. 

The old Boss groaned again and waved his hand in the air, with the three Hylians promptly leaving. They traveled northward where Bludo had directed. Zelda had her Sheikah Slate out, and she was zooming in on the Abandoned Mine. 

“Why do you think it’s abandoned?” the Princess asked. 

“Probably because it’s filled with monsters.” Aegis replied casually. 

Zelda frowned. “When has our quest ever not been filled with monsters?” She said bitterly. 

Aegis snorted. “You’d be wishin’ for too much if you wanted a monster-free life, little Princess.” 

Zelda’s face darkened, but she didn’t say anything else as they traveled up a slight incline. They rounded around a bend, traveling along a cliff. Aegis suddenly stopped them, however, as she pointed to a strange circular creature with a rock on top of it’s head. It had small beady eyes that slightly glowed like the lava that surrounded them, and it was colored a dull blue-gray. 

“What’s that?” Zelda inquired. 

Aegis scowled. “A Rock Octorok. They’re obnoxious little buggers that shoot lava rocks out of their little mouths, and they can block any attack with that dumb rock on their heads.” 

“Then how do we kill them?” Link questioned. 

Zelda waved her Sheikah Slate in the air. “I’ve got something that might help.” She said cheekily, selecting the Remote Bomb rune when a sudden blue flash emanated from the Slate, revealing a glowing blue circular bomb that rested in her hands. It was about the size of her head, with blue strands drifting from its surface. 

Aegis’ eyes widened. “Woah, how’d you do that?” She asked in surprise.

Zelda smiled and stepped towards the Octorok. “Sheikah tech.” She replied simply before facing the balloon monster. It suddenly jumped when it spotted her, it’s small mouth suddenly doubling in size as it began to suck in enormous amounts of air. Zelda then threw her bomb towards the creature, readying to detonate it as the monster sucked the bomb into its mouth. It seemed puzzled for a moment when Zelda clicked a button on the Slate, promptly blowing up the monster from the inside. She smiled triumphantly as she spun around. 

“Sheikah tech!” She exclaimed again, holding up her arms in victory. Aegis laughed.

“Nice goin’ Princess!” She praised, stepping past Zelda as she lowered her arms. Link walked up to her, smiling. 

“Yeah, nice goin’ Princess.” He repeated quietly with a smirk. Zelda rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully on the shoulder as he chuckled. They continued on, with Zelda destroying a couple more Octoroks when they arrived at the Abandoned North Mine. 

The mine certainly looked abandoned, except for the fact that a single Goron was standing guard near the entrance. He carried a Cobble Crusher on his shoulder, with a hard metal cap resting on his head. He raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of the Hylians. 

“Yeesh!” He cried, “What’s goin’ on today?! So many peeeople out and about!” Instantly Link could tell that this Goron in particular wasn’t the brightest to ever live, as he spoke with a lazy drawl that tended to drag out a few words in his speech. “You should know it gets much hotter past here, and there are also looots of monsters. It’s reeeally dangerous!” The Goron warned.

Aegis planted her hands on her hips. “Do you know anyone named Yunobo?” She asked, instantly getting to the point. 

“Why’s a stranger like yoooou askin’ about Yunobo?” The Goron snapped. 

“Boss wants to know.” Aegis replied with a sigh. 

The Goron instantly reacted, his legs spread wide as he crouched in shock. “Huuuuh?! Boss does?!” He exclaimed, “Well… Then I guess I better tell you wheeeeere Yunobo is!” He then turned completely around, pointing up to a distant rock structure a ways into the mine. “Yunobo… went to the vault to fetch some painkillers. But now that ya mention it, I suppooooose he never came back.” He turned back around. “This place is daaaaangerous, so ya probably shouldn’t go lookin’ for him.” 

Aegis smirked. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Linky here knows all about danger, don’t yah Hero?” She said cheekily, nudging Link with her shoulder. Link frowned in response. 

The Goron’s expression turned thoughtful. “Hmmmm… I wish somebody called me a heeeero.” He said.

Zelda gave him a small smile. “You’re doing a fine job standing guard here. That’s something to be proud of.” She pointed out.

The Goron smiled brightly. “I suppooose you’re right!” He agreed happily. “Well, have fuuuuun in the miiine!” He drawled on, just as Link, Zelda and Aegis walked past him. 

However, as they came further into the mine, they quickly realized that getting to Yunobo was going to be harder than they initially thought. Separating the three Hylians from the vault was a large lake of lava, with multiple small islands poking up here and there, each holding a camp of monsters. It wasn’t hard to come to the conclusion that the mine had been abandoned for a reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! I’ll be sure to get chapter fourteen up as soon as possible, although I want to get another little one-shot completed and published too as I’m almost done with that. By the way, if you haven’t yet, please check out my new collection! It would be much appreciated!
> 
> See ya’ll in a bit! (Hopefully)


	14. Yunobo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was difficult to write.. Why, might you ask? Well… In the game, (if I remember correctly,) you need to paraglide in order to get from island to island, (for some parts), but I destroyed the paragliders the moment Link and Zelda landed off of the plateau… So, to make things easier on myself, I made it so that the islands were closer together and that they were within jumping distance, with some being connected by little strips of rock.
> 
> So without further ado, here is chapter fourteen!

“Great. This is just perfect!” Aegis exclaimed, clearly frustrated as she threw her arms up into the air. “How are we supposed to get to the vault?”

Ignoring Aegis’ outburst, Zelda nudged Link and pointed to a giant black, metal cannon situated on top of a large boulder. “That might be useful.” She said.

“Huh?” Aegis turned and looked at the cannon, her face instantly splitting into a sadistic grin. “So that’s what Bludo was talking about when he mentioned a cannon.” She said, jogging towards the contraption. Just as she stepped onto the boulder, however, the Goron guard turned and shrieked in horror. 

“HEY! Stooop that! That’s Boss’s Cannon! Don’t you daaare touch that lever!” He shouted, eyes wide. 

Aegis glared over her shoulder at the Goron, promptly grabbing her Cobble Crusher and swinging at the giant lever that stood just a ways from the cannon itself. The entire machine suddenly began to turn, slowly aiming itself in an entirely new direction, which was directly at two short towers with Lizalfos standing on top off to their left. Link and Zelda looked over at the Goron to see his reaction, but he just simply sighed in defeat, not saying anything as he turned the other way, his back tense. 

Aegis cackled. “This’ll be fun.” She stated, turning to Zelda. “Hey, Princess! Get one of your shiny bombs in here!” 

Zelda obeyed, taking her Sheikah Slate and summoning one of the remote bombs into her hands. She then climbed up onto the boulder, placing the bomb inside the cannon. It rolled down a short chute until it disappeared into the machine. 

Zelda then looked at Aegis with a worried look, who silently urged her one. Grimacing and holding up her Sheikah Slate, Zelda detonated bomb, which instantly sent a giant explosive rock shooting out of the cannon with a thunderous boom. The bomb sailed through the air, colliding with the two towers and destroying them in an instant. The Lizalfos never stood a chance. 

Aegis let out a whoop, laughing sharply as both her and Zelda slid down from the cannon. “Now this’ll be really fun!” She cried out, continuing to laugh even as the three Hylians traveled downwards to a thin trail of rock that stretched to the next raised section of land. 

On top of the raised rock, however, were two more Lizalfos wielding bows and fire arrows. They immediately spotted the Hylians, crying out in alarm as they strung their bows. Seeing this, Link, Zelda and Aegis below ran towards the rock side that was the raised land, concealing themselves from the Lizalfos view. 

Without informing Link and Zelda, Aegis silently jumped up onto the ledge above, disappearing from Link and Zelda’s gaze. The next thing they heard was the smash of her hammer against metal and the squeal of monsters. Link and Zelda then quickly jumped up the rock, finding Aegis just as she kicked the Lizalfos dead bodies into the lava below. She picked up one of the metal bows that they had been wielding, tossing it to Link. 

“There yah go, Hero.” She said with a crooked smile.

Link looked down at the bow in his hands, his eyes drifting over the spiked, jagged metal that made up the entirety of the crude weapon. He then experimentally pulled on the string, surprised by how well it sprung back into place when he let go. He immediately felt relieved and confident now that a weapon was back in his hands, but he didn’t go out of his way to thank Aegis as they continued on their way. He did however pick up the quiver of fire arrows from one of the Lizalfos and situated the weapons onto his back. 

They soon found themselves at the edge of the raised rock, looking down onto a low stretch of land with another cannon situated in the middle of it. The only problem was the lava that separated them from that land. It looked to be jumping distance, however, but the heat that radiated from the magma did nothing to soothe Link’s fear.

He crept to the edge of the rock, grimacing as the lava popped and churned lazily. The only way across was to jump, and he was sure he would make it, but he still hesitated. However, Aegis did not. She suddenly sprinted past Link, leaping over the bubbling lava and landing safely on the other side, rolling as she did so. 

“You know, I’m almost tempted to just leave.” Zelda said quietly, stepping towards Link. “We could just turn and walk away, leaving Aegis here.” 

Link smiled. “I thought you were supposed to be the gentle one, Princess.” 

Zelda snorted. “Then you clearly don’t know me, Hero.” She fired back playfully, taking a few steps back as she prepared to jump. Link followed suit, both of them crouching low and sprinting towards the edge.

Just as they reached the cliff, Link pushed off of the ledge and leaped into the air, Zelda mimicking his movements. They both landed on the rock with a grunt, Link helping Zelda stand once they gathered their bearings. 

Aegis was already at the cannon, waiting for Zelda to summon another bomb. She did so, destroying two more small camps of Lizalfos and Bokoblins after turning the destructive weapon. They traveled on, climbing up another raised area of rock, and then jumping down to another cannon. The process was repetitive, and they destroyed too many camps of monsters to count. 

However, they soon came to a steep incline, where the vault stood proudly on top. Excitement fueling their stamina, the three Hylians raced up the incline, only to find shiny orange rock blocking the entrance to the vault and a muffled voice shouting fearfully inside. 

“Help! I can’t get out!” It cried, sounding pitchy and squeaky like a child’s. Zelda and Link hurried to the rock, Zelda putting her ear to it as the voice continued to panic. 

“Hold on! We’ll get you out!” She shouted. 

The voice went quiet for a moment before it returned with renewed vigor. “Hurry!” It squeaked. 

And with that, the three Hylians turned and hurried away towards a cannon that was conveniently placed on a slab of land down below. Once they were there Aegis smacked the lever and Zelda loaded the machine with a bomb, and with a single push of a button, the cannon rocketed it’s deadly projectile directly into the vault. 

Once they managed to climb back up to the simple stone building, Link, Zelda and Aegis found a young cowering Goron inside with a strange, glowing orange shield surrounding it’s entire body. It slowly faded from existence as the Goron began to mumble. 

“Oh man, oh man, oh man…What am I gonna do?” The Goron whimpered, obviously a male. However, it was hard to believe that was the case. His voice was high and timid, like that of a scared mouse. 

The young Goron than slowly turned, suddenly panicking once he caught sight of the Hylains. “Monsters!” He shrieked, beginning to run wildly in circles. “They’re here! They found me! Help!” He continued to run and panic until he suddenly stopped, turning to take another look at the Hylians. He seemed to calm down, although he was still breathing hard. He had beady blue eyes and white thick hair curled down his forehead, with a quivering mouth that was sucking in large amounts of air. He had a blue bandana wrapped around his shoulders, identical to the same blue that colored Link’s Champion’s Tunic. 

“Wait a minute… Now that I’ve gotten a better look… those are Hylians!” The Goron mumbled to himself, raising his voice when Link, Zelda and Aegis stepped forward. “Were you three the ones who broke through that crag to rescue me, goro? Thanks, brothers!” He said happily, not bothering to wait for an answer. His grin fell away from his face as he spoke again. “But what brought you three all the way out here to begin with?” He asked. 

“We’re lookin’ for Yunobo.” Aegis answered. “Happen to know him?” 

The young Goron smiled again. “Oh! So that’s it! Boss told you to come find me!” He said, answering Aegis’ question. “Phew, thank goodness. In any case, I sure am glad you saved me, goro! The name’s Yunobo. Everyone calls me… Yunobo. Makes sense, goro.” He said, stumbling over his words with a shaky grin on his face. 

Aegis snickered, but Yunobo didn’t seem to notice. “So how’d you get trapped in here anyway?” Aegis asked. 

The young Goron clasped his giant hands around his front, holding them together in a position that didn’t exactly project dominance. “I came to get some painkillers for Boss, but a magma bomb caused a rock slide, sealing the entrance, goro.” He answered. “By the way… How did you break those rocks at the entrance, goro?”

“We used a cannon. I hope you don’t mind.” Zelda said with a guilty smile. 

Yunobo reared back in surprise. “Huh? You used Boss’ Cannon?!” He exclaimed, quickly recollecting himself. “That thing is so difficult to use. I thought only Boss could handle it!” He then seemed to remember something, as his eyes suddenly widened. “Oh! Sorry, I’ve gotta run! But do come by and see the Boss later, okay? He may be gruff, but he always repays a favor. I’m sure there’s a reward in it for you. Okay then! Good-bye for now, goro!” He said hurriedly, rushing past them and suddenly curling into a ball, rolling down the rocky hill and out of sight. 

The three Hylians all stared where Yunobo had rolled away, none of them wanting to take the initiative to travel back. After a moment of silence, it was Zelda who then urged them forward. “Well, let’s get going then.” She said. 

Link and Aegis agreed, and they all started down the hill with the bright noon-day sun pounding down on the metal that covered their backs. 

They quickly arrived back in Goron City, walking back up to the Goron Boss, Bludo. He grinned heartily when he caught sight of them. 

“Ah! It’s the tiny travelers!” He exclaimed, stroking his thick beard. “Yunobo told me all about how you three helped him, brothers. Now I would have a reward for yah, but I think freeing Yunobo was its own reward. What say you, brothers?” He asked cheerily, not letting them respond as he pressed on. “Okay then. Well, I took my painkillers, so I guess it’s time to meet up with Yunobo. I mean no disrespect to Daruk’s legacy, but if I’m not there to give that Rudania a good walloping…” The old Goron trailed away, letting the sentence finish itself. 

Link and Zelda’s attention spiked however once Bludo mentioned the Goron Champion’s name. “Daruk?” Zelda inquired, both her and Link hopeful for more information about their pasts.

Bludo’s eyes widened. “Are ya really tellin’ me ya don’t know about Daruk? The Goron Champion?!” He then calmed, pointing up to a large rock carving the size of the entirety of Goron City. “See that statue up there? That’s Daruk!” He cried. 

Link and Zelda turned towards the statue, gazing up at the large Goron that towered above the city. His hand was pointed outwards in a triumphant pose, with three smaller goron’s faces underneath Daruk’s. 

Link stared at the statue, the clanking and rumbling sounds of Goron City fading as he continued to look over the roughly carved sculpture. His vision seemed to tunnel, and he felt the world crumbling away as his mind tumbled into darkness. 

 

“Yeah!” Daruk cried, laughing heartily as his lizard-like Divine Beast stomped around Death Mountain, it’s heavy tail swinging with all the might of the Ancient Sheikah tribe. “I think I’m finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!” Daruk crowed happily, with Vah Rudania stopping and lifting it’s head, letting out a gurgling type roar that shook the entire mechanic, and seemingly the entire mountain. 

Daruk then began to stretch his arms out, leaning from side to side while he continued to talk. “I tell you what… Sure is a blast piloting this thing around.” He turned to Link, a wide yet competitive grin on his face. “Let those other Champions know, they better eat their gravel is they wanna keep up with Daruk.” He then looked away, his eyes drifting across the mountains and rocks that surrounded them. 

“Speaking of which, can you believe this view?” He asked. Link looked out across the barren rocks, inwardly deciding that he’d rather looked out across a wide, green open field, or a lush wild forest, or perhaps even a glistening lake then the bland view before him. But, he kept those opinions to himself as the Goron Champion rambled on. 

“Just look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… mighty tasty.” He proclaimed happily. Link rolled his eyes when he knew Daruk wasn’t watching, allowing himself a small smile as the Goron looked after the rocks with a hungry glint in his eye. He always found it funny how the Goron’s could eat rocks, as it was painfully obvious that Hylians did not have the same appetite. 

The Goron Champion then began to speak again, slowly tearing his eyes away from the view to rest back on Link. “I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing…” He began, catching Link off guard from the sudden subject change. “But mark my words, I’ll protect this land of ours to the death!” He stated proudly, bringing up his giant hand into the air, his large grin somehow growing wider. “Right, little guy?” He cried, slamming his hand onto Link’s back, throwing Link forward as he grunted from the sudden force. 

The cheery Goron then roared in laughter, quickly quieting down. “Hey, by the way… congrats on becoming the Princess’ appointed knight. That’s a really big deal! Protecting the King’s daughter… No pressure.” He chuckled, resting his hand on Link’s back again, with Link instantly tensing up. 

Daruk continued, lifting his giant hand away. “Seriously, though. The Princess is a strong personality-so strong that she can’t quite see the range for the peaks. Remember that, and you’ll be fine.” 

Just then a sudden intense trembling began, coming from Death Mountain. “What the-?!” Daruk sputtered, both him and Link struggling to stay on their feet as the trembling grew worse. A thunderous crack sounded from above them, and Daruk spun around, gasping when he saw large boulders falling from a rock overhang above them. Link’s face paled as he watched the boulders tumble towards them, and he ducked his head when Daruk cried out, smashing his fists together just as the boulder smashed into something, promptly becoming jagged bits of rock. 

Link slowly raised his head, seeing the familiar orange hue of Daruk’s ethereal shield. It glimmered around them for a moment before slowly fading. Daruk then casually turned to Link. “Alright, now what was I saying…” He trailed off, bringing his gaze back to Death Mountain. Link followed suit. 

“That was a little strange…” The Goron Champion muttered, “As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders that size, then-” He quickly cut himself off, shaking his head. “Nevermind. Forget I said anything.” He finished, looking up at Death Mountain with a furrowed brow. Link glanced at the Goron before mimicking his movements, his stomach churning with dread at the mysterious words Daruk had said. He made a mental note to tell Zelda of this incident the moment he reunited with her. 

 

Link’s eyes shot open, and he stumbled backwards as he gasped, bumping into Aegis. She rolled her eyes and shoved him away, when Zelda caught onto his wrist. She looked over Link, noticing his pale face and wide eyes. She gave him a knowing look, even nodding, letting him know that she understood what had just occurred in his head. 

Bludo blinked a couple of times, before his gruff voice caused Link to turn around and step back, rather embarrassed. “...What’s gotten into you?” He asked roughly, stomping his foot. When no response came except for a snicker from Aegis, the Goron Chief continued. “Hylians sure are strange…” He mumbled, “Anyway, Yunobo is actually a descendant of the great Daruk. That’s why the slacker can even use Daruk’s Protection!” 

A tremor ran through Link’s thoughts, and his eyes widened slightly at those words. Daruk’s Protection… He thought to himself, picturing the unique ability in his mind, both when Daruk and Yunobo used it. 

“He uses it to protect himself when we fire him at Rudania.” Bludo continued, “That’s the only way we can chase that blasted beast away. We have no choice because normal cannonballs are no good against him.” Bludo then nodded, his voice becoming much more firm and authoritative. “Alright, that’s enough outta me. Time to go drive off Rudania!” Immediately a loud, jarring crack sounded again from Bludo’s back, causing him to tense in pain. “Oww… Arghh…I’m afraid I won’t be goin’ anywhere today.” The Goron Chief muttered in a low tone, the previous leader-type atmosphere long gone. “I hate to put you on the spot, but… can ya please go tell Yunobo that I’m gonna have to cancel for today? He should be at Eldin Bridge.” Bludo instructed, rubbing his back. 

Zelda nodded, while Aegis rolled her eyes. They began to walk away, with Zelda pulling up the map on her Sheikah Slate to find the bridge Bludo had named. She spotted it, pointing it out to Link and Aegis. Aegis snorted, as she seemed to always do. “I knew that old bloke was no help.” She said disdainfully. 

Link and Zelda exchanged a look, with Zelda looking incredibly annoyed with Aegis. Despite this she sighed and spoke up, trying her best to sound pleasant. “There’s nothing he can do about his age.” She stated, falling behind so that she was walking beside Link while Aegis was in front. 

Aegis simply shrugged in response, having Zelda show her the map again before leading the way out of Goron City. As they walked, Link kept his eyes to the ground, his mind running over the memories of Daruk that continued to spawn in his head. Zelda quickly caught on, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“So you remember him?” She asked softly. 

Link replied even though he already knew Zelda knew the answer. “Yes…We were on Rudania together, and I was helping him learn how to control it. I remember… I remember shoving him onto the Divine Beast and locking him in there once, not letting him out until he got better control of it.” Link chuckled, looking up at the threatening Divine Beast as it slowly stalked around Death Mountain. It looked as if the great mechanic was on a rampage, blindly circling the volcano as it mourned the loss of its master. 

Smiling, Zelda chuckled in return, her hand sliding off of Link’s shoulder. “Hopefully I can remember him too… soon.” She said wistfully. 

“You’ll remember in time.” Link said comfortingly. 

Zelda nodded just as Aegis glanced over her shoulder. “What are you two yapping about?” She asked roughly. Both Zelda and Link’s smiles faded, and they didn’t respond, leaving the flaming air dead silent as they traveled to Eldin Bridge. 

Soon they arrived to a rather troubling scene. Yunobo was cowering near a cannon while three Moblins roared and waved their clubs at the Goron. However, the Moblins would never reach him as he was using Daruk’s Protection, trembling in fear as the Moblins continued to assault him. 

Link instantly jumped into the action, stringing a fire arrow and letting it loose towards one of the Moblins, striking it in the shoulder, causing it to cry out in agony as it spun angirly. The other two Moblins turned as well, each of them letting out a thunderous roar before stalking towards the three Hylians. 

Crying out maniacally, Aegis charged the Moblin with the arrow in its shoulder, swinging her deathly Cobble Crusher at it’s legs. Link strung another fire arrow and shot the moblin closest to him, hitting it directly in the head, while Zelda momentarily froze the third horrendous monster. 

It broke free almost instantly, charging Zelda. She gasped and quickly summoned a bomb, chucking it at the Moblin and exploding it right as it made contact with the creature’s grainy flesh. The force of the explosion threw the monster almost ten feet, causing it to fly off of a cliff and into the lava below. The Moblin that Link had shot in the head was struggling onto its feet, just barely gripping onto life. However, the struggle didn’t last long. Before the Moblin could focus its eyes, Link shot it again in the ahead, quickly ending the monsters life. 

Just as the two Moblins died, Aegis suddenly landed hard on her back at Link’s feet, growling in frustration and pain as the Moblin let out a victorious roar. Zelda instantly knelt down and tried to help Aegis back onto her feet, while Link strung an arrow and pierced the monster right between the eyes, causing it to slump limply to the ground. 

Aegis then slowly stood, stumbling a bit before shooing away Zelda and straightening, rolling her head and shoulders. Her gaze turned fierce as she stomped over to where her Cobble Crusher lay on the ground and picked it up in a huff. She stalked back to Link, sticking a finger in his chest. “Why didn’t you let me finish him off? I was getting back up!” She accused. 

Link was appalled. He opened his mouth to argue when the pitchy voice of Yunobo caught their attention. “Wow! You’re all so strong, goro!” He cried, jogging towards them, Daruk’s Protection long gone. “You saved me again!” 

Turning away from Link, Aegis raised her chin slightly. “How do we fire you at Rudania, huh?” She said spitefully, “With the cannon?” 

Yunobo’s smile faded into a frown of confusion when he awkwardly looked over at the cannon than back at Aegis. “What… What about Boss?” He asked. 

“He’s not coming.” Aegis answered bluntly. 

“Huh? Not coming? But why, goro?” 

Zelda stepped in. “His back hurts again.” She said with a hint of pity. 

Yunobo gripped his head, crying out in frustration. “After all of the trouble we went through…The painkillers didn’t even work?!” He then settled down slightly, looking defeated. 

“Well, if Boss isn’t coming, then I guess there’s nothing we can do, goro.” 

“Wait a minute, we need to board Rudania!” Aegis stated quickly. Link’s stomach churned. You’re not coming with us. He thought to himself firmly, glaring at Aegis. His eyes then drifted from the conversation at hand when the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly sprung up. He tensed slightly, turning just a bit to scan the landscape around them. His heart leaped when he spotted a flash of red duck behind a boulder. He sucked in a breath, realizing in an instant that it was Jarin. Stiffly, he turned back to the conversation at hand, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that they were being watched.

He had already known that Jarin was staying near Aegis to make sure she went with her word, but to see him physically only solidified Link’s apprehension to get rid of the traitorous young woman. 

“Well… there’s one problem if you want to get to the Divine Beast.” Yunobo said, startling Link back into the conversation. He looked up at the timid young Goron, catching Aegis looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Link’s heart thumped painfully, and he prayed to the Goddesses above that Aegis didn’t know that he knew the truth behind her actions.

Even as the silent exchange was occurring, the verbal one was continuing as well, with Yunobo nodding his head towards the Eldin Bridge. “Good ol’ Boss raised the Bridge of Eldin to make sure that mean Divine Beast couldn’t get over here. And the only way to lower it is to use the cannon, and we can’t do that without the Boss.” 

Link looked up at the large, impressive bridge that stood vertical, somehow balancing on the edge of the rock. It had a large sculpture of Daruk’s face plastered onto it, made out of metal, of course. “We can use the cannon.” Zelda offered, tearing Link’s eyes away from the magnificent bridge. He was trying to focus on the topic at hand, but it was hard to with Aegis eyeing him carefully.

Yunobo’s face lit up. “Oh, that’s right, goro!” He then excitedly ran over to the cannon, waiting for the three Hylians to catch up with him. “You fire the cannon, and I’ll be the cannonball!” 

Zelda’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?” 

“I’ve got Daruk’s Protection, goro! My ancestors help can’t possibly fail me! That means I can smash into anything and it won’t hurt one bit!” Yunobo explained, summoning the shield around him even as he spoke. And without another word, he launched himself into the air, landing with a thump into the cannon. Aegis then marched up to the lever, smacking it with her weapon and steering the cannon directly at the bridge. 

With a quick nod from Aegis, Zelda summoned a bomb and placed it into the cannon, counting down from three and exploding it once she reached zero. Yunobo instantly shot out, flying towards the bridge with a yell. He collided into the metal, bouncing back onto the rock near the cannon. The great bridge rocked back from the force of the impact before falling forward, gaining speed until it smacked onto the rock, creating a way to get across the lava. 

Yunobo staggered onto his feet, swaying dizzily. “We did it…” He said shakily, a dazed, lopsided grin on his face. “See that, goro… If we put our heads together…anything is possible!”

The three Hylians then hurried to Yunobo, with Zelda steadying him. He shook his head like a dog, his eyes soon becoming focused. “Daruk’s Protection is something else, isn’t it?” He said proudly. “Now then, let’s get across that bridge, goro!” He exclaimed, leading them onto the metal. Link followed behind Aegis and Zelda, glancing over his shoulder for any other signs of Jarin. None came. 

However, his thoughts were quickly steered away from the Yiga Clan as their small group reached the other side, just at the bottom of Death Mountain. The Divine Beast Vah Rudania, who was just above them, suddenly cried out with it’s strange gurgling roar, different circular sections opening up on its back. Strange little devices then flew out with furiously spinning blades slicing the air to keep them bobbing above the ground. They flew to different sections of the tretarious path that snaked up Death Mountain, stationing themselves at specific intervals. Once they settled, a beam of light shot out from underneath them before forming into a pink spotlight that illuminated a clear circle onto the ground. 

Yunobo then stopped, looking around at the little contraptions that hovered along the path. “Oh… Yikes… Sentries are always a nuisance, no matter where it is or how many of them are.” He said worriedly. 

“Woah wait, sentries?” Aegis questioned.

Yunobo nodded. “If one finds you, Rudania will go nuts, which will cause Death Mountain to erupt, goro.” 

“So they’re like an extra set of eyes for the Divine Beast… that is fascinating.” Zelda said quietly, mainly only to Link. 

Yunobo’s eyes widened. “Fascinating? No it’s not, goro! I… always get spotted, and then magma bombs come raining down one after another.” He said despairingly. “If Boss were here, he’d swat those magma bombs away like they were nothin’ and force his way up!” 

“Well, he’s not here, and I don’t think we can do that.” Aegis said, folding her arms across her chest.

“We can always just sneak around the sentries, it wouldn’t be that hard since they can’t hear.” Zelda offered. 

Yunobo groaned. “I’m too clumsy to sneak around, goro.” He muttered. 

“Don’t worry. We’ll either sneak past those sentries or we’ll destroy ‘em.” Aegis said firmly, cracking a smile. 

Yunobo then nodded. “Ok, then. Let’s hope we aren’t spotted!” 

And with that, the small group set out along the path, quickly encountering their first sentry. It was moving slowly across a section of the path, flying back and forth. There was a large rock overhang over the path, however, that the sentry simply passed over. 

Aegis quickly took the lead, following close behind the sentry as it moved away from them. She stopped underneath the overhang, letting the others fit in next to her. The sentry flew over their heads the way it had come, the overhang blocking the light from finding them. They then sprinted out from underneath the rock, leaving the sentry far behind as they continued along their way.

Yunobo smiled brightly. “That wasn’t so bad!” He exclaimed happily. 

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Aegis then warned, just as they came to their next obstacle. The sentry ahead of them was staying in a singular spot on the narrow path, which was simply a ledge along a cliff which led far, far down to perishable lava. There was no way around it, and yet Link spotted a high ledge directly next to the sentry itself. He instantly began to climb up, finding a movable boulder sitting just on the edge directly above the sentry. He allowed himself a smile of victory before pushing the boulder, promptly smashing the sentry and exploding it into bits. 

He quickly climbed back down, with Zelda and Yunobo excitedly praising him. When he glanced over at Aegis, she simply scoffed and turned. And so they continued. 

The small group soon came to another cannon, and with a few words exchanged Yunobo leaped into the cannon with Daruk’s Protection circling around him. Zelda summoned a remote bomb while Aegis aimed the large weapon, before firing the young Goron directly at Vah Rudania which towered above them on Death Mountain. 

The hit was right on, causing the Divine Beast to release another roar before stomping further away from them. Yunobo bounced onto the ground a ways away, shaking away his temporary dizziness before cheering enthusiastically.

The traveling then continued, with multiple sentries getting destroyed with either one of Zelda’s bombs, Link’s fire arrows, or a couple of times even a metal crate being controlled from the peculiar Magnesis rune on the Sheikah Slate. 

They arrived at one other cannon which they quickly used, forcing Rudania farther up the volcano even as they spiraled up the path closer to the peak. The sentries were no problem to get rid of, and as they came across the third cannon they found four Moblins standing guard around the weapon. They were seperated into two’s on either sides of the cannon, with all of them wielding a variety of weapons. One had a metal club, one with a rusty looking sword, and another with a spear. The fourth, however, had nothing but its bare hands. 

The three Hylians and the young Goron crouched low behind a boulder, peeking over the rock to get a better look at the monsters. Yunobo whimpered quietly. “This is all on you three, goro.” He whispered timidly, ducking behind the boulder and covering his head with his hands. 

Aegis glanced over at Link and Zelda. “Alright, then. I’ll take the two on the left, and you two can have the others.” She said with a grin. 

Zelda frowned. “Wait, I-” She never got to finish as Aegis had already leaped out from their cover, crying out in anger as she sprinted towards the two Moblins that were slightly separated from the others. Link quickly followed, keeping a careful eye on Zelda as she snatched a metal crate with her Magnesis. Link then turned towards the Moblins, shooting the one with the metal club in the chest with a fire arrow. However, the other without a weapon was approaching too quickly, not giving Link enough time to string another arrow. He began to step backwards just as a metal crate suddenly slammed into the monster, sending it flying off of a cliff and to a quick death. 

However, the crate was destroyed by the impact, and as Zelda came near Link, the other Moblin tore the arrow from its chest and snarled menacingly. Aegis then suddenly cried  
out in pain, causing Link and Zelda to snap their heads in her direction. 

She was lying on the hard rock, her Cobble Crusher lying useless almost five feet away. There was one Moblin still standing, with the other lying limp a few yards away, the rusty sword rocking on the ground next to it. The live Moblin was quickly advancing on Aegis, who was crawling frantically away as the Moblin raised its spear, ready to strike. Zelda cried out Aegis’ name, freezing the monster with the Stasis rune, giving Aegis enough time to scramble to her Cobble Crusher and deal the finishing blow. 

She then rushed over to the club-wielding Moblin near Link and Zelda, who had just begun to raise its club when Aegis smacked its back with her Cobble Crusher. The monster appeared stunned for only a second before collapsing onto the ground, causing Link and Zelda to scurry out of the way. 

Yunobo then ran over to them, praising them with a large grin on his face. “You all were amazing, goro!” 

Zelda smiled. “Thank you, Yunobo.” 

The young Goron then proceeded to jump into the cannon, and not a moment later they shot him at Rudania. The Divine Beast cried out, swinging it’s massive tail as it shook its head in large waving motions. It then climbed directly up the volcano, sliding down inside of Death Mountain itself, roaring as it did so. They had finally cornered Rudania. The three Hylians stared up in awe as Yunobo landed a ways away from the cannon, laughing dizzily. 

Link, Zelda and Aegis then climbed down from the cannon, beginning to make their way to Yunobo when the growl of a monster caught Link’s attention. He turned only to find the club-wielding Moblin looming in front of him, raising its weapon and swinging without warning. Before Link could realize what was happening, Zelda leaped in front of him, the large club slamming violently into her chest. Time seemed to slow as she cried in pain and roughly landed onto the hard ground a few feet away, her body trembling.

Link’s blood ran cold. “Z-Zelda!” He shouted, rushing to her shaking form and kneeling down beside her as Aegis leaped forward and killed the final Moblin, smacking its body off of the cliff with her Cobble Crusher. 

With his ears becoming numb, Link rolled Zelda onto her back, assessing the damage. The chest piece of her flamebreaker armor was completely caved in, piercing her stomach and chest, drawing blood. Her face was horribly pale, and her eyes were dazed as she cracked them open. Link didn’t know what to do. He helplessly looked up at Aegis as she approached, who then knelt down opposite of Link. 

“Oh no, oh no, oh no!” Yunobo cried, rushing towards Link and Zelda in a panic, his dizziness long gone. 

“We-we need to get this off of her!” Link exclaimed, gripping onto the armor. However, Aegis grabbed at his wrists before he could even start to take it off. 

“If you do that she’ll burn up!” Aegis said loudly, shoving Link’s hands away. “The only thing we can do is take her back to Goron City. Then we can get Fireproof Elixirs to then take it off and treat her.” 

Link’s eyes shot back down to Zelda as she groaned, her eyes fluttering closed. Link’s panic grew worse, with a horrible dread that Zelda would not survive. He tried to keep that dark thought out of his mind, but it relentlessly pounded at his consciousness, causing his hands to shake. Yunobo then stooped down, gently picking up Zelda, who groaned in protest. 

“I’ll take her back, goro! You two continue to the Divine Beast!” He exclaimed, determined. 

Link hastily stood. “No, no I-She needs me, I-” 

“She’ll be fine.” Aegis cut in firmly. “Rudania won’t be dormant in there for long. We don’t have time.” 

Furiously shaking his head, Link looked between Aegis and Zelda, struggling to agree. He knew what Aegis was saying about the Divine Beast was true, but for Zelda…No… Don’t think like that. Link thought to himself as he spun to face Aegis, his hands clenched into fists. “I’m her knight. I need to be there for her, even when it doesn’t seem right.” He stated firmly, turning away to lead Yunobo back to Goron City when he felt Aegis grab onto his wrist in a strong grip. 

“But you’re also a Champion.” She stated, her tone firm yet… soft, in a way. “You have a duty to free these Divine Beasts, don’t you?” She tugged on Link’s wrist, forcing him to turn to face her. “Don’t be a wimp. You’re a hero, aren’t you?” 

Link stared. “I-”

“Then you will get into Rudania and save your Goron friend.” Aegis interrupted, keeping her grip on Link’s wrist.

Link glanced over his shoulder to Zelda, who was breathing raggedly in Yunobo’s arms. He looked back at Aegis, knowing what he must do even though it tore painfully at his heart. “Fine.” He said, ripping his wrist out of Aegis’ hand. “I’ll free the Divine Beast.” He turned to Yunobo, “You get Zelda to Goron City… Please.” He ordered, struggling to keep his voice from shaking. 

Yunobo set his lips in a straight line, nodding. “I’ll keep her safe, goro.” 

Before he could leave, however, Zelda stirred, turning her unfocused eyes to Link. “Wait… You-you need the… need the Sheikah Slate.” She croaked, gasping painfully as she grabbed the slab of Sheikah Tech and shakily handed it to Link, who took it carefully. Zelda then groaned and grimaced, leaning in towards Yunobo’s chest as she shook in pain. 

With an unsteady breath, Link took a few steps back, cradling the Sheikah Slate as he watched Yunobo turn and hurry away, Zelda’s golden hair swinging limply from the rocking of the Goron’s gait. He then looked over at Aegis, and with a nod from both of them, they began to walk towards a narrow path that wound up to the peak of Death Mountain. As they walked along, however, Link took a step to the side and picked up the rusty sword from one of the Moblins, holding it in a steel-like grip as he caught up with Aegis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Zelda... welp, there's chapter fourteen for yah! I have not started fifteen yet, but before I do, I'm going to publish another addition to the one-shot collection. Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all some other time! :)


	15. Traitor in Rudania

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah I hate it when I make mistakes like these, but in the last chapter, chapter fourteen, I forgot to write in Zelda handing Link the Sheikah Slate, as that is necessary to complete the Divine Beast. So, I added that in there, and I wanted to make sure you all knew that. Sorry for the mistake! (Well, I mean, I could make it so that it isn't necessary, but I like having the Sheikah Slate so hush)

The climb to the peak of Death Mountain was short yet treacherous, but Link and Aegis made it all the way up without fault. The two Hylians stood high on the ridge of the open volcano, leaning cautiously over to look into the heart of the mountain. Down at the bottom hundreds of feet away was the giant Divine Beast Vah Rudania. It laid sprawled on the magma, it’s pink light blinking wearily as if it were recharging. 

Link felt as if he could empathize with the Divine Beast. He felt weary and slow, as if he were in a daze. With Zelda’s sudden injury fresh on his mind, he didn’t think about Aegis’ traitorous motives. However, as soon as she spoke, he was snapped out of his daze and was forced to realize his situation. He was about to enter into the Divine Beast with a member of the Yiga. A member who was partnered with Jarin. 

“Now how do we get down there?” Aegis pondered outwardly, folding her arms over her chest. 

Keeping his breathing under control, Link said nothing in return, running over possible solutions in his mind instead. However, his train of thought was not about Rudania at all. He was trying to figure out a way out of his rather sticky situation with Aegis. He didn’t have many options at this point. Jarin was obviously following behind them, closely watching their progress. If he turned on Aegis and attacked, he would quickly be overrun, even with his newly acquired sword. His only option was to allow Aegis to enter into Rudania with him, as it seemed she would stubbornly insist on doing so. His only hope was that what Jarin and Aegis had agreed on was to come true, that they wouldn’t attack him and Zelda until they were off of Death Mountain. If that were not to be the case, then he could only stay alert of his surroundings. 

Link’s pondering then turned to the physical problem at hand. How to get to Rudania in the first place. If they had some sort of cloth or parachute like tool like the paragliders King Rhoam had given him and Zelda before, than that would make this wonderfully simple. But it would not be that easy. The paragliders were destroyed the moment Link and Zelda had landed off of the Great Plateau, all thanks to that stray Moblin. 

Maybe they could climb down? No, that would be impossible. The lava running down the sides like waterfalls was proof of that. Perhaps they could wait for Yunobo and use his Daruk's Protection to jump them down? Link almost laughed out loud. The idea was absurd, and the risk was even more so. Besides, only the Goddesses above know how long it'll take for Yunobo to return, and for Zelda to recover. Link's throat tightened, and he quickly pushed the image of Zelda's limp body and pale face out of his mind. 

Aegis shifted her stance, drawing Link out of his thoughts once again. "Looks like the only way down is to climb." She stated. Link's eyes snapped towards her, their doubt shining clear. 

Chuckling, Aegis planted her hands on her hips. "Come on, Hero. I thought you were supposed to be courageous." She mocked. 

Link’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he again desperately wished for Zelda to be by his side. “There’s no way down. It’s all covered in lava.”

“There’s an area over there, you see? The lava is separated by that boulder there.” She said, pointing to an area almost on the opposite side of the open mouth of the volcano. Link frowned, internally scolding himself for not seeing the path. “The only problem is that if you fall… it’s all over.” Aegis added, smiling devilishly. 

Stomach clenching, Link kept a calm composure. “I see that.” He replied bluntly, heading off towards the boulder that cut through the lava. 

They made it there in only a few minutes, and without a word Aegis got down onto the ground and began to climb, slow and steady. Link waited for a few moments before following, keeping a good distance between them. 

The rock was easy enough to navigate down, as it was incredibly jagged and had many indents to hold onto. Despite this, the climb was treacherous and wore on Link’s muscles mercilessly. The heat was unbearable, with the lava slowly crawling down just a few feet away on either side of Link and Aegis. And as the two Hylians slowly made it deeper and deeper into the volcano, the heat grew more intense, until it felt as if the metal of their Flamebreaker Armor would melt into their skin. 

Thankfully, after what seemed forever, they finally reached the Divine Beast. It’s legs were sprawled out so that one of its feet was directly underneath the two Hylians, making it relievingly easy to end the climb. Link waited until Aegis was on Rudania before following suit, both of them taking a moment to recatch their breaths. Link felt as if he might collapse then and there, but he kept himself together. His body was trembling slightly from the exertion, but he forced himself to straighten his back and breathe through his nose so that he didn’t look weak. Aegis seemed to be in a similar state, chuckling wearily as she straightened and stretched. 

“That wasn’t so bad, huh?” She joked. 

Link paid no mind to the sarcastic comment and simply pressed onward, the Sheikah Slate bobbing on his hip as he climbed along Rudania’s leg and made it to the neck, where the entrance was. But before Link entered, he glanced over his shoulder at Aegis. He frowned, wishing that Zelda was with him instead for the hundredth time. He wanted to save Daruk, yes, but he also wanted to grieve and reminisce of the Champion in peace, preferably with his Princess. He sighed inwardly, slowly turning to face the dark inside of the salamander-like Divine Beast. 

A similar empty draft from Ruta chilled Link’s senses as he stared into the darkness of Rudania, only lit by the dim light thrown in through the narrow entrance that he stood before. He shuddered slightly, ready to enter into the Divine Beast when a sudden booming voice rattled his ears. 

“Hey, little guy!” It exclaimed cheerily, it’s rough, familiar tone immediately telling Link that it was Daruk himself speaking to him and Aegis. Except, the Champion seemed blind to the traitor behind him. Perhaps it was because she seemed unimportant. “Long time no see.” The Goron continued, “I always knew you’d come back. Y’know, I never stopped believing in you!” Link had been, and now was quite familiar with the Goron’s firm positivity, but because of his failure leading to 100 years of pain and torment, the optimism only hurt. 

“Now you’re here to take control of ol’ Rudania back from Ganon, eh? Well to do that you need to activate the five terminals scattered around ‘ere. But where’s the Princess?” The question caught Link off guard, and he didn’t have time to react in any way before Daruk pressed on. “No matter, I’m sure she’s okay! She was always tough and fiery… Either way, you got this, little guy!” The Goron’s voice then faded, echoing around the volcano in soft whispers. 

Link stayed silent when Daruk’s presence seemed to disappear altogether from the Divine Beast, letting the mourning, evil atmosphere of the infectious malice to thrive in the emptiness of it all. Aegis took a step forward, stopping side by side with Link. She gave him a curious look, her eyes filled with questions, thoughts, and suspicions. Link didn’t return her gaze, keeping his eyes rooted to his feet. 

“So that was the mighty Daruk.” She stated plainly. When Link didn’t respond, she continued with a lowered tone. “I didn’t realize that the spirits of the Champion’s were actually here, trapped…” Her gaze drifted, and she seemed to get lost in her mind. Link looked up, surprised by this attitude shift until she quickly shook her head and cleared her throat. “All the more reason to hurry!” She said, sounding rushed and uncertain. Her gaze then hardened slightly, and she let out a hard breath. “I’m not feeling sympathy, you know. The Champions failed, and this is their punishment.” She stated with a jagged tone, stepping past Link and leading the way into the stomach of Rudania. 

Just as they entered into the Divine Beast, a door behind them suddenly slid shut, sealing them inside and instantly darkening the room to pitch black. The only light was that of the blue fire that flickered on two torches nearby and the dreary, dull hue of the pink malice that was clumped around the floor. Some had those large eyeballs, burning an intense orange as they stared at Link and Aegis. 

Link then glanced down at the Sheikah Slate, holding it up to try to produce more light as it’s design was already faintly glowing. However, no matter what he did, the little device did nothing to light the dark. He growled in frustration, clipping the Slate back onto his hip. Zelda would know what to do. He thought to himself. 

“Now what?” Aegis groaned. She then paused, her toe knocking against something before she bent down to grab it. “Hey… check this out!” She exclaimed, picking up a torch. “This will be helpful!” She then walked over to one of the blue fires and swiped the torch across it, lighting the tip and producing a cool, blue light around them. 

Link looked over the torch and the area around them, keeping an emotionless expression. “Good find.” And with that, the two Hylians trudged deeper into the Divine Beast, sidestepping the malice as they came to vertical metal bars acting as a door that was blocking their path. An empty standing torch stood directly next to it. Without a word, Aegis hovered the blue flame over the torch, quickly lighting it. Instantly the bars slid open, providing a way further into Rudania. 

Aegis chuckled. “Well, would you look at that.” Link only glanced up at the traitor before taking the lead into the darkness, quickly coming across a miniature Guardian. He quickly took out his rusty sword from the Moblin, rushing towards the robot and thrusting the sword to his eye. However, the Guardian then moved slightly to the side, causing the blade of the sword to shatter against the hard head of the robot. Link stumbled, staring down at what was left of the sword, his head snapping up in surprise when Aegis lunged past him and smashed the Guardian’s head. The robot sparked and jerked for a moment before collapsing, promptly exploding as Aegis flipped backwards. 

Sighing, Link chucked the ruined sword to the side, keeping his eyes forward as he continued on his way, sensing Aegis falling in behind him, chuckling to herself. They came to some more bars blocking their way, in which Aegis lighted the standing torch next to it and opened them up. 

They stepped into the next room, finding a darkened terminal. Link allowed himself a small smile of victory as he pulled out the Sheikah Slate, but it quickly vanished as Aegis nudged him forward. 

He then came up to the pad where the Slate must be placed in order to activate the terminal, and he silently did so, causing the small spire to light up in a soft blue. He stepped back, looking up at the structure as light suddenly flooded into the Divine Beast, illuminating everything in a murky light. Link and Aegis looked up, seeing four circular like sections that had opened above them, revealing a darkening sky. 

Daruk’s voice then called out to them, causing them to look around the giant interior of Rudania. “That’s the way, little guy! I’ll be waiting until you get those other terminals up, alright? Stay focused!” With the Goron’s voice fading away, and with new-found motivation in Link, the two Hylians turned and traveled back throughout the rooms they had just ventured through, searching for another terminal. 

They quickly found one, sitting dormant in the first giant room that Aegis and Link had first entered. It was against the wall, which is why they hadn’t seen it before the other. Link instantly activated it with the Sheikah Slate, meaning that only three terminals remained. 

“Hey, I bet there’s something behind there.” Aegis said, nudging Link in the shoulder and pointing to two giant metal doors directly opposite of the terminal they just activated. Link looked over the giant doors, letting his eyes then fall down to the Sheikah Slate in his hands. He fumbled with it for a minute while Aegis walked up to the doors and attempted to push them open, to no avail. 

After a lot of trial and error, Link smiled triumphantly and activated the Magnesis rune, raising the Slate up to the doors. A blue, purple and yellow beam then shot out of the device, latching itself onto one of the doors. Link then took a heavy step backwards, tugging it open to reveal the terminal inside. He quickly ended the magnesis and sped to the terminal, activating it and turning on his heel. 

As he looked over at Aegis, he gasped, seeing a flash of red light beside her. He could’ve sworn it was the Yiga Clan’s symbol, as that is what flashes in the air after one of them teleports away, but it had only been for a split second. His eyes shifted to Aegis, who seemed slightly pale in the face. He gave her a questioning expression, one that she returned with a glare and an upturned chin before they both continued to search Rudania. 

Soon they came to a closed door that had a round hole through the center of it. Link leaned forward to see what was inside, finding an unlit standing torch. He took a step back, letting Aegis have a look before taking out his bow and a single fire arrow. It was quite obvious what needed to be done. And so he aimed the arrow at the torch and let it fly, striking the wall behind the torch while simultaneously lighting it. 

Instantly the door opened, allowing Link and Aegis to step inside and find the fourth terminal. Link quickly activated right then and there, nodding to Aegis as they exited the small room and continued their search. 

They soon found themselves where they had begun outside of the Divine Beast, having searched the entire interior of Rudania. Aegis groaned, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Where could that blaster terminal be?” She cried. 

Since Link had his back to Aegis, he allowed himself to roll his eyes. He was looking forward to cleansing Rudania, freeing Daruk, and getting away from Aegis as soon as possible. Just then a sudden thought struck Link, and he physically froze. I can’t fully cleanse the Divine Beast without Zelda and her sealing power… Link groaned, internally scolding himself for being so stupid. He shouldn’t have left Zelda. 

His fingers than ran cold as he remembered seeing the Yiga’s symbol flashing in the air next to Aegis. He knew that that must have been Jarin, but what he didn’t seem to have processed was the possibility that Jarin was now going after Zelda, leaving him to Aegis. It would be easy to capture or possibly kill the princess, seeing how badly injured she was. Link then spun around to face Aegis, not sure what to do. He could try to climb out of Death Mountain, but Aegis would stop him before he got close to the rock. He could attack Aegis, but even with his bow, he was hesitant to do so. 

“I think Zelda’s in danger.” He blurted out, cutting off the rampant thoughts in his head and leaving both the air and his mind silent. 

Aegis was stunned for a moment, as the comment had cut her off guard. Her eyes then narrowed slightly as she replied. "What makes you say that?"

Realizing how risky this was, Link blinked a few times and rapidly tried to bring Aegis' suspicion back down. "I-I'm not sure. Just a feeling, I guess." 

"A feeling, huh?" 

"I just think we should go check on her. The Yiga might have tracked us up the mountain." 

Aegis' eyes shifted sharply as she looked over Link, obviously trying to choose her words carefully. "That's impossible." She finally stated, crossing her arms over chest. 

"Don't underestimate-"

"Oh I will underestimate them." Aegis interrupted, taking a step closer to Link and leaning in dangerously. "They're sorry excuses for assassins. I'm surprised they haven't killed you two yet." She said in a low tone, her eyes dark. 

Link's heart thumped loudly as he squared his shoulders and looked Aegis dead in the eyes, his hand drifting behind him, ready to grip his bow. "I'm surprised too," he began, "seeing how you've been with us the past few days." 

The burning air was deathly silent. The only sound was the low hum of the power in Rundania and the muffled gurgling of the magma around them. Then Aegis' mouth broke into a toothy grin, and a low chuckle escaped her lips. "So you finally figured it out, huh?" She crooned, leaning back and planting her hands on her hips. "How clever of you." Link's eyes narrowed, and he gripped his bow behind him. Aegis' eyes flicked to the motion, and her smile grew. 

"Now tell me… where is Jarin?" Link asked threateningly.

Aegis’ grin became wicked, and she let out another chuckle. “I have no idea, actually.” 

Link gritted his teeth at the vague reply, his grip tightening on his bow before he brought it before him, beginning to reach for an arrow when Aegis lashed out like a snake, grabbing his wrist that was holding the bow, twisting it behind him so that he dropped the weapon. She jumped behind him, holding his wrist painfully and in a way so that he couldn’t move. She then moved her mouth close to his ear, whispering in a low tone. 

“Let’s not get violent, hm?” She hummed. “Now before you go spouting off Jarin’s name and exposing yourself as aware of my little facade, I suggest you listen to me for a change.” 

“Listen?” Link grunted back angrily, trying to wrestle his way out of Aegis’ hold. 

She kept him firm, keeping her face close to his ear. “Yes, you idiot. Jarin could be anywhere at this point. I really don't know. But what I do know is that he isn’t going after Zelda.” 

Link then froze, wondering if it was just his imagination, or if Aegis’ voice was a little more… soft? He wasn’t sure, but he stopped struggling against her hold. “How do you know?”

“Because you’re right. I’m a part of the Yiga Clan.” As the words registered in Link’s brain, Aegis let go of him, keeping her hands to her side and not to her Cobble Crusher. Link, on the other hand, instantly grabbed his bow and spun to face her, with a fire already drawn back and ready to fire. 

“I’ve known that,” Link began, keeping the arrow aimed at Aegis’ face as she slowly raised her hands into the air, palms open and facing him. “I’ve known that ever since your meeting with Jarin in the middle of the night.” 

Aegis’ eyes widened slightly, and she took a step forward, only freezing when Link drew the bow string back further, threatening to shoot. “Then you know that I’m being forced to work with Jarin.” She said steadily, “You know that I convinced him to wait to capture you two until we were off of Death Mountain.” 

“What are you saying?” 

“I’m saying that I may be a part of the Yiga Clan, but I’m not with them. I’m on your side.” Aegis said earnestly, drawing her Cobble Crusher and tossing it to the side, the metal clanking loudly on the Divine Beast. 

Link’s grip on his bow loosened slightly, the arrow no longer trained on Aegis’ face as he looked over her gaze and composure. She seemed so honest that it looked almost fake. But there was something in her eyes that caused Link to stop and listen. 

Noticing the bow lowering, Aegis instantly launched into a lengthy explanation, her eyes wide and shifty, as if she were waiting for someone to attack them at any moment. “My parents were a part of the Yiga Clan. They were very close friends with the Master, Master Kogha, so naturally, when I was born, I was raised to hate the Royal Family and worship the Calamity. I didn’t know any better, but as I grew older I wanted to leave. Not because I had a change of heart, far from that, but because I wanted to get out of that blasted dessert.

Three years ago, when I was 16, I begged my parents to let me be a scout; to watch for anyone who dared to oppose our Calamity. Finally, when I turned 17, they let me out. I was free to travel the world, and as I left the dessert and began my journey, I forgot about the Yiga. I forgot about my slacking parents, the white masks, the secretive way things were handled… everything. I was invested in the world around me, and I soon traveled to Zora’s Domain. There I was living a life of luxury. I gained the trust of the King, and made lasting bonds with the people. But after spending a month in the Domain, I finally left, wanting to see more of Hyrule.” Aegis then paused, sucking in a labored breath, her eyes drifting to the ground. 

“But then things went downhill real quick. I was on the verge of turning 18, walking along Hyrule Ridge, on my way to Rito Village, when I saw a traveler up ahead. They looked like they were lost, so I came closer to them to see if I could help. What I didn’t realize was that they were a part of the Yiga Clan. They cornered me, sickle to my throat, asking what I had been doing this past year. I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t been doing anything to help the Yiga, and when they realized this, they gave me a mark to show my incompetence.” Aegis then raised her hand, brushing the stray strands of her wild black hair to reveal a large arch-shaped white scar the started at one eye, and ended at the other. Link frowned and lowered his bow completely, recalling the first time he had seen the scar. He hadn’t thought anything of it. 

“I was bleeding, scared, and confused. The Yiga member who did this to me took me back to the Yiga Hideout, where I faced Master Kogha. He was a blubbering idiot who didn’t know what to do with me. Do they send me out to redeem myself? Do they kill me? He had no idea, seeing how he was such a close friend to my parents. I guess that was what saved me. Because after a pathetic display of scorning me, he sent me to my parents, who desperately wanted me to have the chance to redeem myself. Kogha obliged, sending me back out into the world with Jarin and Tryvan at my side to keep me on track.” Aegis’ hand then fell away from her forehead, and her face twisted into a snarl of disgust. 

“I hated Jarin and Tryvan. We traveled across the world for almost a full year, pillaging small settlements and muggling lone merchants. We were very successful, and I hated every second of it. I didn’t want babysitters, and Tryvan was extremely obnoxious, always poking fun at my mark. But then we learned that the Hero and his Princess had finally awoken from the Shrine of Resurrection. Jarin and Tryvan were ecstatic. They were sure that us three would be able to capture you two and bring great honor to them. I couldn’t care less. So, just a week after the announcement that Jarin’s brother died after an encounter with the Hero was made, in the middle of the night, I stole a horse from a nearby stable and rode off to Death Mountain, leaving Jarin and Tryvan alone. 

I never felt so elated, I tell you! Now I could climb up Death Mountain and forget about the Yiga Clan entirely. I also told myself that I would stay far away from anyone who seemed suspicious. There was no way I was going back! And so I climbed Death Mountain, met with the Goron’s, earned their brotherhood through a wrestling match, and traveled back down. It was only when I arrived at the stable that I saw you and the Princess. I wanted to leave then and there, because I knew that wherever you two went, the Yiga were sure to follow. But I didn’t. I don’t know why, but I was curious to stay longer. I was curious to see what exactly your plans were. So I stayed the night at the stable, and watched as Jarin and Tryvan captured you two. I followed them. I figured this would be a great time to get revenge on the two Yiga who had pestered me endlessly. So I ambushed them. I killed Tryvan, but Jarin got away before I could get to him.

I was scared. Jarin knew I killed Tryvan, and I knew that he would tell the rest of the Yiga, and I knew I would be killed for treason. So I had to save myself. I pretended to befriend the Princess when she woke up, telling her that I saved them and that I would lead you two up Death Mountain. When we started towards the stable while you were still conked out, I kept seeing Jarin hiding in the shadows, watching. He was waiting to see what I was planning. That’s exactly what I wanted him to think. That I was planning some great scheme. 

Soon you woke up, and I instantly knew that I had to keep an eye on you especially. I knew you suspected me to be a traitor since the first moment you laid eyes on me. But, despite that, you allowed me to guide you and the Princess up Death Mountain. And I did. I kept an eye out for Jarin, and spotted him multiple times, watching us. It wasn’t until we stopped for your little memory when he confronted me. I told him that I wanted to befriend you two to make capturing you easier. I told him that I betrayed him and Tryvan because I wanted the honor for myself. To erase my mistakes, so to speak. He bought the lie, and I guess you know the rest. He’s been making sure I don’t step out of line, and he’s waiting until we get off of this mountain to attack.”

And with that, Aegis finished her story, shutting her mouth with still eyes. They were steel-like and cautious, but open and honest. Link didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to think. But after a long moment of silence he finally placed his bow and arrow away. Aegis’ shoulders quickly relaxed, but she kept her eyes alert as Link opened his mouth. 

“I…” He hesitated, sighing and taking another breath before continuing, “I don’t know if I should believe you or not.” 

Aegis’ mouth broke into a slight smile. “What? Afraid I’m making it up? Afraid I’m going to knock you on the back of the head and order Jarin to do the same to Zelda? I’m not the one in control here!” Her smile fell as her eyes darkened, suddenly angry. “I just want to be done!” She exclaimed.

Link stepped back slightly in surprise, forcing his hands to stay where they were and not snatch his bow again. “Why did you tell me this? Isn’t Jarin somewhere around here? Watching us right now?” He asked, glancing over his shoulder for a second. 

“I don’t care, and I don’t know where he is.” Aegis snapped. “But if he hasn’t attacked yet, then he’s clearly not listening.”

“But why? Why did you tell me this?” Link repeated, honestly confused. 

Aegis gave out a harsh, angry scoff. “You don’t get it, do you? I don’t care about the Yiga. I don’t care about Ganon, I don’t care about Hyrule, and I don’t care about you or the blasted Princess! I just want to get away. I just want to leave!” She was almost screaming at this point, her furious words echoing off of the volcano walls and the Divine Beast, causing it’s humming to get dangerously louder, as if the noise was disrupting it’s system. 

Falling silent, Link looked down at the ground, trying to decide what to do. He suddenly realized that there was nothing stopping him from going after Zelda, as Aegis clearly had no opinion on the matter, and so he raised his head, looking Aegis in the eyes as he silently turned on his heel and started towards the leg of Rudania that they had climbed across earlier. 

But apparently Aegis cared, as Link felt her hand suddenly grip his wrist. Her tone of voice was desperate. “Don’t go!” She cried, “If you leave, Jarin will know and he’ll attack! He’ll take me back to the Yiga, with you dragged behind.” She said hurriedly. Link turned around and looked into Aegis’ eyes, surprised to find a hint of fear. The emotion was so out of place, that Link thought he was dreaming. 

“Wouldn’t he be attacking us right now, then?” He asked, just as Aegis let go of his wrist. 

“I already told you! If he was listening, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But if you climb out of here and run to Goron City, he’ll for sure see you, or me chasing after.” 

Link narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to decide what to do. He could trust Aegis and stay, or risk Jarin and rush to Zelda. After a moment of silence, he sighed, having made his choice. “Fine.” He said sharply, fully turning towards Aegis. “I don’t trust you, but you make enough sense.” 

Aegis then let out a large breath, giving Link a wobbly smile. “Thank you.” 

“But what are you going to do once we get off of Death Mountain?” 

Aegis’ eyes then hardened, and her smile slipped into a frown. The fear in her gaze instantly vanished, and it seemed like she was back to her normal self. “You’ll see, Hero.” She sneered, turning on her heel and leading the way to the back of Rudania to continue searching for the last terminal, scooping up her Cobble Crusher again along the way. Link eyed the weapon wearily as she swung it onto her back, still trying to digest the story she had told him. It seemed true enough, seeing how long and detailed it was. It would be hard to come up with something like that right then and there. But then again, she was a traitor, even if she didn’t want to be. Lying was something that came naturally to the Yiga, Link assumed. 

However, there was something the way she told it that made it seem honest… There was something in her eyes… 

“Up there!” Aegis suddenly exclaimed, startling Link out of his thoughts and turning his attention to where Aegis was pointing. Along the arches that came over the back of Rudania was the last terminal, spiking into the air like a horn. 

Without another word, Link and Aegis climbed up the arch where the terminal stood and quickly activated it, sliding back down just as Daruk’s voice echoed around them. “Way to go, little guy! That was the last terminal!” The Goron cried, sounding genuinely excited and relieved. “Now go ahead and start up the main control unit. Stay focused!” With those last two words Daruk’s voice faded away, leaving Link and Aegis alone on the back of Rudania. 

Luckily, the main control unit was directly in front of them, and Link rushed to it without hesitation, placing the Sheikah Slate on the pad when pink and black smoke suddenly erupted from the unit and forced Link away. Aegis stood by his side, staring up at the unit while the smoke circled and twisted around it. 

“What’s going on?” She asked, grabbing her Cobble Crusher and holding it out to the side. 

Link placed the Sheikah Slate back on his hip and took out his bow, readying a fire arrow as he replied shortly, “It’s a puppet of Calamity Ganon.” 

Before Aegis could open her mouth to respond, blue strands of light drifted past them, collecting themselves into an orb behind them. The two Hylians spun around, Link watching with narrowed eyes as the creature took form. One of its arms was large and bulky, made up entirely of sheikah tech. A large blue blade then erupted from it, glimmering in a strange, hypnotic way. It’s other arm was skinny and bony and made up of malice, with a single flame burning in its pointed hand. The head of the creature was larger than the rest of its body, which had no legs to support its bulk. An eruption of startling red air exploded from its skull, looking like fire itself. All in all the horrible thing was disproportionate and bulky, a stark contrast to the blight Link and Zelda had faced in Ruta. 

“Watch yourself now!” Daruk suddenly called out, “That ugly pain in the crag is Ganon’s handiwork. Thing got the best of me a hundred years ago. Good luck, little guy! Go get ‘im!”

Immediately Link raised his bow, drawing back the fire arrow and pointing it directly at the monster’s single blue eye, determined to not only cleanse Rudania but to also free and avenge Daruk. This thing had killed the closest Champion Link had ever felt with. And it was going to pay. Dearly. 

“This thing killed Daruk?” Aegis spat out, staring at the monster with shock. 

Link glanced at Aegis for just a moment before focusing his attention back on the creature, who was staring them down from the air. “Yes.” He stated simply before letting the arrow fly, piercing the monster’s eye almost perfectly. 

It promptly screeched in pain as the arrow hit it, promptly collapsing onto the ground in a limp pile of mangled limbs and sheikah tech. Link was about to tell Aegis to attack it, but she was already sprinting towards the monster before he could even open his mouth. 

She cried out as she swung her hammer down on the monsters chest, causing it to screech horribly and quickly rise back into the air, winding its arm that held the blue blade, preparing to strike. Link saw this and instantly grabbed the Sheikah Slate, fumbling to find the stasis rune. He quickly froze the creature just as it was about to strike Aegis, giving her enough time to run out of the way before the monster broke free from the golden light. 

It cried out in furious anger, apparently realizing just how bothersome these Hylians were going to be. It then levitated towards Link, raising its blade into the air. Link didn’t move. Instead, he raised his bow and drew back another fire arrow, letting it loose into the monsters eye. It quickly recoiled, clutching its eye in pain as it floated higher into the air, the flame in its other hand burning brighter. 

It then opened its palm that held the fire, releasing a torrent of flames down upon Link and Aegis. The two Hylians instantly scrambled out of the way of the fire, struggling to keep their feet underneath them on the uneven ground. The monster came down closer to the ground, obviously craving to slice one of the Hylians open with its blade. But before it could even come close to doing so, Aegis leaped towards it, striking its body with her Cobble Crusher. 

The monster screamed and slammed into the ground from the force of the attack, turning back into the blue orb before Aegis could strike again. It floated above the main control unit, appearing once again and placing its flame over its blue blade, turning it a startling orange. It then swung both of its arms backward, a burning, bright, orange ball forming around it just like Daruk’s Protection. 

Daruk’s voice then cried out, echoing above the monsters deep growling. “That flaming ball is dangerous! You can’t touch him with your weapons like that!” 

Aegis quickly came over to Link, wiping sweat her brow, her white scar standing out against her tan skin. “Now what?” She asked, just as the monster soared above their heads in its strange blue orb, forming high in the air above the lava. It raised its hand above its head, strong gusts of hot wind getting sucked into its flaming ball. The wind was powerful, tugging at Link’s body and hair while roaring in his ears. 

Link watched the creature as it charged up some sort of attack before an idea suddenly spawned in his head. “I know what to do.” He shouted over the wind, taking out the Sheikah Slate and summoning a circular bomb. He lifted it above his head and threw it towards the monster, watching with a growing grin as it got sucked into the flaming ball, circling around the creature from the torrent of wind. He exploded the bomb, causing the monster to fall limp and begin to fall towards the lava, clearly stunned. 

However, before it could fall past Rudania, a sudden flash of golden light erupted from behind Link and Aegis, striking the monster in a wave of pure power. The light engulfed the creature, causing it to scream in agonizing pain before it exploded into a clump of ash that tumbled into the lava below. 

The light then faded, and as Link blinked away the momentary blinding after effects of such power, he instantly knew who had wrought the attack. He spun around, the Sheikah Slate falling onto the ground beside him as he rushed forwards, tackling Zelda into a tight hug. 

She gasped in surprise as Link hugged her, and soon he realized what he was doing. He stumbled backwards, feeling a strange heat rise to his cheeks before it vanished with the wave of relief that overcame him. “You-You’re okay!” He breathed happily. 

Zelda smiled brightly and readjusted her helmet. She was wearing new armour that looked similar to what she was wearing before, but it seemed newer. “When Yunobo brought me to Goron City they gave me some sort of healing potion that worked almost instantly! And,” She nudged Link playfully, “they taught me how to craft it.” 

Yunobo then stepped to the side, having been standing behind Zelda. “After she woke up we came over here as fast as we could, goro!” He exclaimed in his high-pitched, timid voice, giving Link a large grin. 

“We jumped down from the top using Daruk’s Protection.” Zelda explained. 

Aegis then came towards them, handing Zelda the Sheikah Slate that Link had dropped. Zelda took the slate, giving Aegis a curious look. “Welcome back, Princess.” She stated simply. 

Zelda paused for a moment, obviously surprised by the lack of confidence that came from Aegis’ tone. She then looked past them towards the main control unit, now free from the malice that had covered it moments before. She took a step forward, with Link walking beside her while Aegis hung back next to Yunobo. 

Zelda walked up to the terminal and placed the Sheikah Slate onto it, activating it with a bright smile of triumph. It promptly began to glow a wonderful blue, reminding Link of the time they had done the same inside Ruta. He then turned, expecting to find Daruk somewhere, just as Mipha had appeared to them. 

He was right. Standing almost ten feet away was Daruk himself, with that otherworldly outline of green around him and that sort of transparent look that reminded everyone that he was only a spirit. “Great work, little guy! And you too, Princess!” He exclaimed cheerily with little green flames dancing around his feet. His eyes drifted, spotting Yunobo and Aegis. “And to you two as well! I owe you all big for this. Because of you, my spirit is finally free. Can’t thank you enough!” His smile than dropped a little, and he rubbed the back of his head as he continued. 

“I feel like I should apologize. I was doing all I could to protect Hyrule when that thing got the best of me. Sorry that me resting with the rubble caused such a mess. The good news is, Rudania is now back under our control! That means that our century-old Ganon beat-down plan can finally go into effect!” He grinned again, clamping his hand over the fist he made with the other. 

“I’m gonna take this down the mountain. I’ll have a better shot at Ganon there. And then, once you’ve made your way into Hyrule Castle, we’re gonna light that thing up!” He cried, his eyes suddenly flicking to something behind the small group. Before Link could turn to see what it was he was looking at, Daruk suddenly smashed his fists together, activating Daruk’s Protection around all four of them. 

A red clothed figure smashed against the shield right when Daruk activated it, getting thrown back once Daruk took the shield away, his figure vanishing as well. The small group all spun around, with Link and Zelda pushing to be in front while Yunobo cowered behind them all. The three Hylians stared at the figure, all of them instantly recognizing the man as Jarin. He scrambled onto his feet, ripping his mask off to reveal a furious snarl. His dark eyes were riveted on Aegis, and he brandished his sickle out in front of him. 

Everything was silent. Aegis was staring at Jarin, while Link and Zelda were looking between the two. Zelda looked surprised, gripping the Sheikah Slate in both of her hands while Link slowly reached behind him for his bow. His throat was clenched from the tension. This was the moment when Aegis finally made her decision. Would she side with Jarin or attack him? Soon all eyes fell onto the strong young woman. She suddenly looked like a cornered animal, her brown eyes darting between Link, Zelda, and Jarin.

“Aegis.” Jarin spat out, breaking the silence, “Get over here.” He ordered, crouching low like a feral beast. 

Aegis didn’t budge. Zelda’s eyes widened and she looked at the young woman. “Aegis…? You’re with them?” She asked, a hint of betrayal in her voice. 

“I…” Aegis’ voice trailed away, and her mouth moved as if she expected words to come out when none did. 

“Aegis!” Jarin snapped, “Now!” 

Beads of sweat began to trickle from Aegis’ forehead, slipping over her white scar. Her mark. She closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth before opening them, her eyes shining bright with sudden fury. “No!” She shouted, leaping at Jarin and striking him with her Cobble Crusher, the force of the blow sending the Yiga off of Rudania and into the magma. 

Silence. Aegis froze, her body shaking from her harsh panting. A loud clang pierced through the air, having been the Cobble Crusher now lying dormant on the Divine Beast. Link was stunned. He stared at Aegis’ back, not believing his eyes. She… killed him. Just like that. 

“Aegis… what…?” Zelda muttered, looking to Link for answers. Link glanced at her for only a moment, his head turning back to Aegis to see what she would do. Her shoulders were hunched slightly, her head dropping as well. 

“And good riddance.” She suddenly murmured venomously, spitting onto the ground where Jarin had stood moments before. She then turned, not bothering to pick up her beloved weapon as she regarded Link, Zelda and Yunobo with a closed-off gaze while they all stared at her with open mouths. “What do you think of me now, Hero?” She snarled at Link, giving them all a toothy grin as she crossed her arms over her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! And it’s done! This chapter took a long while for me to write because season 3 of The Dragon Prince came out, (go watch it right now if you haven’t yet because it is AMAZING) then Thanksgiving rolled around! BUT despite all of my apologies, what do y'all think of Aegis now? I really do want to hear your opinions on my little OC, and her backstory as well. It was super fun to figure out, and I really love writing her dialogue and character! Now it’s on to Chapter Sixteen!


End file.
